Sadio Mane Acknowledges That Settling In At Bayern Munich Has Been Difficult. In last Friday’s 4-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen by Bayern Munich, Sadio Mane ended a brief goal drought with a superb shot.
The victory also ended Bayern’s four-match winless record in the Bundesliga, giving them a much-needed confidence boost following the international break. Despite recently going five games without scoring, Mane’s goal against Leverkusen brought his season total of goals scored to six from a total of 12 appearances in all competitions.
However, Mane has found it difficult, particularly while attempting to replace the vacuum left by Robert Lewandowski. Given that Mane is accustomed to playing under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and is learning new systems, Julian Nagelsmann has employed Mane in a variety of attacking roles.
Sadio Mane Acknowledges That Settling In At Bayern Munich Has Been Difficult. Nine times this season, according to transfermarkt, Nagelsmann has utilized Mane as a center forward; the other three times, he has played as a left winger, a position he was accustomed to under Klopp.
In addition to getting used to playing a number of different positions and roles in attack, Mane recently admitted in an interview with UEFA.com (via @iMiaSanMia) that the move as a whole has not been easy, despite knowing that would be the case ahead of making the switch this summer.
“It is going well. Switching from one club to another is not easy. I spent eight very nice years in England, six years at Liverpool after two at Southampton, and now I am in a new country,” he explained.
The intensity of Klopp’s workouts is well-known, and as a result, Liverpool suffered numerous physical injuries in the first few months of his tenure as manager of the team in 2015. While Bayern’s Sabener Strasse training sessions are undoubtedly tough, every manager will have their own unique tactical quirks, and it can take some time to get acclimated to these when a manager changes.
“Everything changes so quickly: people, training, everything, so it’s not easy. Since everything is changing, it is definitely not simple. I have to change. I was aware of that, so it didn’t surprise me. It is unfolding just how I had envisioned,” Mane added.
It should come as no surprise that Mane praised the warmth of the German people because, as he previously indicated, it was this factor that eventually led him to choose Bayern Munich over Liverpool. He had frequented Munich throughout his time at RB Salzburg because it was close by and he lived there.
“The locals are friendly and genuine players. I am extremely thrilled because the people in the club are amazing,” he remarked. After the 6-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Mane was spotted greeting the traveling supporters and leading the humba in front of the away block, providing a striking example of how he was embracing MIA SAN MIA culture and Bavarian hospitality.
Mane claimed that the enthusiasm of Bayern’s younger team serves as another major source of motivation for him. Mane, 30, is the oldest player on the Bayern Munich roster, with only Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller, Sven Ulreich, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, and fellow Senegalese Bouna Sarr being older.
With his goal in the 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart, Mathys Tel, 17, also just became the youngest player to ever score in the Bundesliga for Bayern. “Our team is very, very young. I have never before in my professional life been a part of a group with such a young age range. They’re all hungry, which to me is what truly sticks out. They’re all eager to grow and well-aware as well. Mane remarked on the youth.”
