Bayern Munich are reportedly growing concerned with the form and fitness of Sadio Mane following his latest poor display in a defeat at Bayern Leverkusen.
The former Liverpool forward was seen as a star when he arrived at the Allianz Arena in the summer after completing a high profile £ 35.1 million switch from the Premier League club.
Mane enjoyed a great start to his Bayern campaign, scoring on his debut, before recording a further ten goals and five assists in his first two months at the club.
His last goal for the club came back in October when he netted against Mainz – grabbing two assists in the same game.
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However, since his return from injury, the Senegalese has struggled to recreate the form that made him a feared opponent in England. Then, he formed a devastating attacking trident alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
And now, German publication Sport 1 reports that Bayern Munich are growing concerned with the 30-year-old. The report claims that Mane seems unfit and rarely wins one-on-one duels – which has been noticed several times in training.
Mane suffered a severe leg injury just before the World Cup and could not play for the Senegal national. The injury kept him out for three months, and he was unavailable for Bayern’s first seven matches after the winter break.
There are concerns that Mane’s injury has caused long-term damage, given that he is now past his best. His previous speed and explosiveness, which made him a terror to defences, seem to have gone with them, as that has rarely been a feature of his play recently.
However, Mane’s injury is not the only reason he seems to be struggling. The tactical demands of Julian Naglesmann on the forward has also affected his game negatively.
In Bayern, the attacker is expected to operate slightly differently from what he has been previously used to under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. Under Klopp, the 30-year-old operated predominantly as a winger with a supporting full-back. But at Bayern, he is more central to the winger duties primarily occupied by Alphonso Davies.
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