Thomas Tuchel gives verdict to Sadio Mane after Liverpool hero’s role in sacking Julian Nagelsmann
Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has now moved on to Sadio Mane at FC Bayern Munich, the ex-Liverpool striker finally wants to get a foothold with the German champions
Thomas Tuchel believes Sadio Mane can still become a key player for Bayern Munich and is just one goal away from changing his fortunes.
When Mane moved from Liverpool to Bayern last summer, it was seen as a home transfer game for the German champions. The Senegalese star enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career and was acquired for the relatively modest outlay of £35million.
But while his absence was deeply felt on Merseyside, his influence at the Allianz Arena left much to be desired. A combination of injuries and poor form means he has scored just 11 times in his first 29 games for Bayern. It also resulted in the former Liverpool star being knocked out of the starting line-up since returning to fitness, coming off the bench in all but one of his games. Frustration over missing minutes reportedly came to a head last month when recently sacked boss Julian Nagelsmann offered him just 13 minutes against Paris Saint-Germain.
Nagelsmann had planned to build his Bayern side around Mane but with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting thriving in his absence, he was relegated to the bench. Choupo-Moting found the net in the 2-0 win over PSG but that did little to quell Mane’s angry reaction to the perceived snub.
The 30-year-old reportedly launched an angry tirade at Nagelsmann, who was ousted a week later for not getting the best out of his players. Tuchel has since replaced his compatriot and beat Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in his first match as manager.
However, Mane had to settle for a place on the bench as Tuchel handed him the decisive second-half win. But the new Bayern boss is adamant the striker still has a chance to establish himself as one of his most important players.
“I know him well from England. Without a doubt, Sadio is an absolute top player,” Tuchel explained. “He scored 20, 30 goals every year for Liverpool and was an absolute key player there. His quality is beyond doubt.
“Even at his age it always takes time to acclimatize after a change of club. He It can take time. There is no mistaking the quality of him and what he can bring us.” It’s about trust and patience so that he can pick up the pace. A goal usually helps confidence.”
Tuchel has also been supporting Joao Cancelo, another star who has struggled to adjust following a move from the Premier League. The Manchester City full-back has been loaned out until the end of the season, but he has yet to find a regular place in Bayern’s starting XI.
He added: “I like João, I’ve had to play against him many times. He definitely has the highest quality, left foot, right foot, passing. He is a different type of player from Benji Pavard. He can also play in the left-back four.
“His absolute strength is precision with crosses and on the ball, also when finishing. I’m more than happy he’s here. We’ll need him. I am convinced that he can play at the highest level for us.”