"There is a rift in the team" - Arsene Wenger on the bust up between Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane at Bayern Munich
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has shared his thoughts on the bust-up between Bayern Munich superstars Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane.
The two players were involved in a dressing room tangle following the Bavarians' loss against Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on April 11.
Mane reportedly punched Sane, leaving him with a mark on his lower lip. The incident caused widespread controversy, with the Senegalese getting fined a hefty sum. He was also suspended for Bayern's Bundesliga clash against Hoffenheim.
Speaking about the incident, Wenger told beIN Sport (via Mirror):
"There is a rift in the team and the management inside the club has to sort it out. The only way to sort this problem out is communication. You have to create the trust and the communication inside the dressing room."
He added:
"Most of the time when you have this problem with two players, you take them into the office and you explain to them that 'we cannot be successful if the players inside the team do not cooperate well together'."
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, managed a 1-1 draw against the Cityzens in the second leg of the UCL quarter-finals at the Allianz Arena on April 19. Mane came on as a substitute for Sane during the match. Bayern crashed out of the Champions League with a 4-1 defeat on aggregate.
Thomas Tuchel blasted the referee following Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League elimination
Bayern Munich were eliminated from the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a 4-1 aggregate loss to Manchester City. They managed to draw the second leg 1-1, but their 3-0 first-leg defeat proved to be enough to send them packing.
Following the game, Thomas Tuchel blasted the pitch and the referee. The German manager was sent off in the second leg. The referee also gave two controversial penalty calls to each side.
Speaking to the media, Tuchel said (via Bavarian Football Works):
“Two things weren’t at the level today: the pitch and the referee (Clément Turpin). I would give him a 6 (worst possible rating), from his first to his last decision, I didn’t even see the foul in the penalty he gave us.”
Bayern have been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League and the DFB Pokal this season. They, however, lead the race for the Bundesliga title, having a two-point lead over Borussia Dortmund.