After Tuesday's 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League, Sadio Mane has been suspended indefinitely and fined by Bayern for allegedly getting involved in a physical altercation with his teammate Leroy Sane. As it turns out, things became heated after the final whistle of the Quarter-Finals' first leg.
While the club merely mentioned 'misconduct' in a statement released on Wednesday, the mass German media all claimed that the Senegalese international hit the Germany winger in the face in the Bavarians' locker room. As a result, the ex-Liverpool attacker will sit out this weekend's Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim.
Mane reportedly apologized to his stunned squad once he realized what he had done. According to speculations, however, the Bayern board are also contemplating further penalties, such as selling the player or even terminating his contract early, despite being valid until 2025.
What did Leroy Sane plead to Bayern's hierarchy regarding Sadio Mane?
Sadio Mane has had a hard time adjusting to life away from Liverpool. The 31-year-old forward is having a tough season overall, scoring only six times in the Bundesliga, and has been struggling with health and form in recent weeks.
Prior to the altercation, the British outlet Mirror reported that the Senegal international had been mourning the loss of a close relative from his homeland over the weekend. It is said that Sane afterward spoke with his teammate to stress his wish to forget about the incident.
As stated by the German publication SPORT1, Sane went to Bayern's upper management about what happened. There, he reportedly pleaded with them to not punish his teammate too severely so that the dispute would not go on for too long. It's believed that CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic now want to see a positive response from their main summer signing.
