Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane ‘asked the club NOT to sack Sadio Mane’ after their dressing room punch-up… as Senegal winger is only handed a temporary suspension for his post-match attack
Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane reportedly asked club chiefs not to sack team-mate Sadio Mane, in the wake of their dressing room punch-up on Tuesday night.
Mane punched his team-mate in the face after his side’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Etihad.
The former Liverpool winger was served a temporary suspension by the club on Thursday, after both he and Sane held a meeting with Bayern chiefs.
There had been fears that Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidžić were contemplating sacking Mane for his actions, but it seems his future in Germany may have been saved by team-mate Sane.
According to BILD, Sane asked the club not the terminate the contract of Mane and also asked that the winger would not be handed a ‘severe punishment’.
Leroy Sane (R) and Sadio Mane (L) were involved in a dressing room punch-up after their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday
Reports suggest Sane asked club officials not to sack Mane, despite the scuffle between them
They also claim that, for the German international, ‘the topic is now closed’.
The same German outlet also reported that both Sane and Mane were present for a meeting held between the club’s bosses on Thursday morning, which is likely when he expressed his feelings to Bayern chiefs.
Shortly after, both players were seen taking part in the team’s training session and were pictured jogging metres away from one another.
Hours after those pictures emerged, the club announced their decision to suspend the forward and posted a statement, that read: ‘Sadio Mané , 31, will not be in the FC Bayern squad for the home game against 1899 Hoffenheim next Saturday.
‘The reason is misconduct by Mane after FC Bayern’s Champions League game at Manchester City. In addition, Mane will receive a fine.’
The brawl involving the two Bayern stars took place after Bayern’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Sane and Mane were seen confronting each other as they trudged off the pitch at the Etihad Stadium and the row boiled over when they went down the tunnel.
As the clash continued into the dressing room, Mane punched the German and left him with a bloodied lip, before the pair were dragged away from each other.
When the Bayern squad touched back in Munich, after the game, Sane was cautious to hide his lip from cameras after the heated confrontation.
There will be hopes in Germany that the duo, and the team, are able to put the incident behind them ahead of the second-leg at the Allianz Arena next Wednesday.
Ex-Liverpool star Mane has been handed a temporary suspension for his post-match conduct
On the night, Bayern fell behind to Rodri’s stunning first-half opener, before a mistake from Dayot Upamecano allowed Bernardo Silva to double City’s lead.
Haaland added a third for the hosts to give Bayern a mountain to climb in the second leg at the Allianz Arena on April 19.
Mane had been brought on in the 69th minute of the defeat, with the forward having had a mixed first season since joining from Liverpool for £35million last summer.
The 31-year-old has scored 11 goals in his 32 appearances for the German giants.