Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday that he was Sadio Mané’s “lawyer” and “defender” the day after he was suspended for one match after his altercation on Tuesday night in Manchester with Leroy Sané.
“Sadio, I am his first lawyer and his first defender, advanced Thomas Tuchel in a press conference on the eve of receiving Hoffenheim for the 28th day of the Bundesliga. I have known him for so long, I know his entourage. I know him exclusively as a super professional, I have never, ever, ever, seen anything to blame him for. »
Tuesday evening, after the rout in Manchester against City (3-0) in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League, the tone rose in the Munich locker room at the Etihad Stadium between Sadio Mané and Leroy Sané. The African champion criticized the German international, according to the German press, the way he addressed him at the end of the meeting. In the 83rd minute, the two players had a long verbal explanation on the Mancunian lawn.
Sadio Mané struck a blow to the face of Leroy Sané, who had a bloody lower lip. Bayern suspended Mané for the league match against Hoffenheim and fined him, around half a million euros according to the daily Bild.
“It was too much, contrary to the code of conduct within the team and Bayern Munich. There were excuses which are totally trustworthy, there is no reason to doubt it, ”insisted Tuchel, who arrived on the Munich bench only three weeks ago to replace Julian Nagelsmann.
Nicknamed FC Hollywood in the past for the whims of their stars, Bayern are restless behind the scenes this season. “It’s intense, but I think it appears more restless from the outside than it is internally, even in this situation,” slipped Thomas Tuchel.