Leroy Sane asked Bayern Munich chiefs not to punish Sadio Mane harshly for their dressing room bust-up after the Manchester City defeat.
Mane has been dropped and fined by the club for hitting Sane after their 3-0 loss at the Etihad on Tuesday night.
The former Liverpool star will not play in Bayern’s Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena this Saturday.
It’s claimed Sane wants to consign the incident to the annals of history and get on with Bayern’s season.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are aiming to retain their Bundesliga title and now sit two points clear of Dortmund in second.
As reported by German outlet SPORT1, Sane discussed the incident with Bayern’s chiefs. The Germany international is reported to have asked them not to impose a harsh punishment on Mane to avoid the row dragging on for any longer.
It’s believed Bayern’s CEO Oliver Khan and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic want to see a reaction from Mane, who could be sold if he doesn’t have a strong end to the season. He has struggled to find his best form in Germany.
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Mane has scored 11 goals and had five assists for Bayern since his transfer from Liverpool last summer, with a leg injury affecting his progress and forcing him to miss the World Cup in Qatar. Yet he does not have long to silence his critics.
Bayern will have just six league games left this campaign after Saturday’s game with Hoffenheim. They are already out of the DFB-Pokal after the home defeat to Freiburg, while their Champions League hopes are slim after Tuesday’s debacle.
Sane and Mane started rowing after a breakdown in communication between them. It’s believed the debate continued in the dressing room, where the ex-Liverpool star hit Sane in the face.
Bayern released a statement on Thursday. It read, “Sadio Mane, 31, will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday’s home match against 1899 Hoffenheim. This is due to his misconduct after Bayern’s Champions League match at Manchester City. Mane will also be given a fine.”
