So far, the former Liverpool star has failed to live up to expectations at Bayern Munich
When Bayern Munich signed former Liverpool FC star Sadio Mané during the summer transfer window, the club’s fanbase went into a frenzy.
But, the Senegal international’s fortunes have not been constant since that time.
Clearly, an injury soon before the World Cup break slowed Mané’s progress, but there is much more to it than a sluggish recovery and a proclivity for going offside, according to Sport1 journalist Kerry Hau.
Bayern Munich’s coaching staff and club officials have considerably higher expectations for Mané, according to Hau, but he is “losing too many one-on-one duels,” which has been a constant issue throughout training sessions.
Furthermore, according to Hau’s analysis, Mané struggles to contribute value to the team while the team is in possession of the ball. Furthermore, the research suggests that Mané may be lacking the “speed and explosiveness” for which he became recognized while at Liverpool.
The post went on to speculate that Mané’s wear and tear from Jürgen Klopp’s high-intensity style may have taken its toll, since the 30-year-old played an average of 50 games every season between 2018 and 2022.
Bayern Munich is concerned that Mané has not adjusted his game to compensate for any declines in speed or explosiveness, according to Hau, citing his inefficiency with chances and lack of attention while making runs, which has contributed to an issue with going offside.
Worse, according to Hau, Mané may be struggling with his positional responsibilities at Bayern Munich:
BFW Examination
While it is too soon to bury Mané’s Bayern Munich career, it is reasonable to believe Hau — a very competent writer — is not only expressing his own thoughts on the matter, but is likely echoing what he is hearing from his sources within the club.
When you look at how and when Mané was purchased, you can see that Bayern Munich realized it needed to make an attacking splash to replace some of what it was going to lose with Robert Lewandowski, who was on the verge of joining FC Barcelona.
While not a panic purchase, Bayern Munich was desperate. That all happened very quickly, almost hurriedly. The question of how Mané would fit in at Bayern Munich was lost in the shuffle, as everyone wanted to witness his skill on the field. Is he a left-winger? Is he a striker? What effect would his presence have on Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, and Thomas Müller? Is he capable of transitioning from Klopp’s “heavy metal football” to a more controlled style of play?
Such discussions were undoubtedly had, but signing Mané, who was not a like-for-like replacement for Lewandowski, was still a calculated risk. Despite his incredible talent, there was no certainty Mané would be a good match in Munich.
But, as devastating as some of these may sound, it is far too early to write out the Senegalese star. He is most likely not performing at full capacity and is not completely at ease in the role that has been assigned to him.
It is possible for him to improve, and he should be given the opportunity to do so.
How long that takes will test Bayern Munich’s patience, as the club seemed to have expected a “sure thing” rather than a “experiment.”
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