Some of the executives at Bayern Munich believe that Sadio Mane should be performing at a higher level for the club.
The signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool FC by Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window generated a lot of excitement among the club’s supporters. However, the Senegalese striker has not been consistently performing well since then.
Certainly, Mane’s progress was impeded by an injury that he picked up before the World Cup break. However, a recent report by Sport1 suggests that there are additional factors contributing to his struggles, beyond just a slow recovery and a consistent tendency to be offside.
The coaches and club executives at Munich have set very high standards for Mane. Still, they feel he is somehow not meeting those expectations for he is frequently losing one on one battles during training- one of the crucial skills in a striker’s resume. Mane is apparently struggling to provide an output when the squad is in possession of the ball. Additionally, the report suggests that Mane may not have the same level of speed and explosiveness which made him inevitable during his Anfield days.
The article further speculates the demanding, high-intensity style of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, might be catching up with him. Between 2018 and 2022, the 30-year-old played an average of 50 games per season, which took a toll on his body.
Mane chose to take a risk and pursue an exit from Liverpool with one year in his contract, even though the club offered him a new deal. This move led to the disintegration of the well-established front three comprising himself, Mohammed Salah, and Roberto Firmino, and hastened the regeneration of Jurgen Klopp’s frontline.
His transfer to Allianz Arena was considered a major steal for the club at £35.1 million but things have not yet materialized in the way that was expected for both the player and the club. He has scored only 6 goals from 18 appearances.
During Bayern’s recent match against Bayern Leverkusen, mane made his 28th appearance for the club, however, despite his team being in the lead at halftime. Mane was substituted for Serge Gnabry in a triple substitution. Bayern went on to lose 2-1 to Leverkusen.
