Mané-Sané affair: Germany left puzzled, doubtful and asking questions

This is an episode that will certainly leave its mark, until the end of the season and perhaps beyond. More than a week after the affair between Sadio Mané and Leroy Sané broke, there is still lively discussion about what could have driven the Senegalese to attack his team-mate physically. In Germany, after a few days of frenzy, things appear to be calming down. That is notably the case after Bayern Munich's statement and the sporting and financial sanctions imposed on the African champion. It looks like a way of closing the debate, in public at least.

Read more on the same subject: Mané-Sané affair: Thomas Tuchel closes the debate

Closeness to Taggat, an asset that became a liability

Yet the subject is still being discussed among football fans, and bewilderment still prevails over why Mané went for his younger team-mate, against the backdrop of the racist insult claim revealed by Taggat. "It's not that people don't believe Mané, but it is hard to believe because the press and public opinion find it surprising that on such a serious matter (a racist insult, editor's note), he is so quiet. Whether he likes it or not, Sadio Mané is a symbol not only for Senegalese people but also for Africans. So if he is insulted, he has to react," says Ali Farhat, a journalist for DW and Bundesliga commentator.

Leroy Sané's words to Sadio Mané: https://t.co/fvaQudcFZO#taggat pic.twitter.com/QUyamsxz8s

— Taggat (@taggatsn) April 13, 2023

He went on to lament: "Here, that's not the case. Another problem is that the 'reaction' comes via an article by a journalist seen as close to him. It's not that the journalist isn't credible, but in the end the fact that they are close, and that it is also the only source, works against Mané, when it could have been an asset. It is that closeness that is being questioned by the German press and public opinion. So, for many, it seems hardly credible that Leroy Sané could have said the things attributed to him. All the more so because racism is taken very seriously by the club. You only have to look at their reaction after the abuse Upamecano received following the first leg. "

A silence that raises questions

This silence leads a good many Germans to question whether Leroy Sané really said what is claimed. The only certainty in their eyes is that he took a punch, his swollen lip bearing that out. Not to mention that the club handed Mané a heavy financial sanction, which would seem to suggest he is the one at fault and that, if he were genuinely the victim, he would have acted differently. "The question that keeps coming up here is: why stay quiet and accept the sanction if Sané really said those things to him? What is the point of staying silent over racist remarks? By not denouncing the insults publicly, he is somehow letting the idea pass that black people can still be insulted," says the journalist, who highlights another point, that of image. And in that battle, Leroy Sané has come out on top of this episode.

"We saw everywhere in the press, notably Bild, that Sané stepped in so that Bayern would not punish Mané too harshly. To caricature it: he was hit, threatened on social media and, as a 'gentleman', he asks for leniency for the man who hit him. In terms of image, he has won on every count," says Ali Farhat. It is quite the opposite for Sadio Mané, who is earning a reputation as a hothead and whose communication is out of step with the gravity of the words put forward by Taggat. "Inevitably Leroy Sané has been on the receiving end of a torrent of hatred on social media from Senegalese supporters, and as the Mané camp does not react, it is as if they are letting it happen. Another problem is that Mané has only one channel of communication, he doesn't speak directly and he is paying the price in this story. Mané should have backed up the journalist's information to make it credible. It should have come directly from him. In a way, this story tells us more about how the media and entourages work than about the reality of the facts," he says.

A burnished image for Leroy Sané

The German public therefore tends increasingly to stick to the official version given by the German press, on which the Bavarian club relied to communicate and to sanction Sadio Mané. The few who still have doubts nonetheless struggle to imagine that Leroy Sané, whose father is black, Senegalese and from Casamance, just like Sadio Mané, could say such things. "So they end up thinking the others are probably right," the journalist observes.

Ironically, this episode has somehow allowed Sané to restore his image in part. "In Germany, Sané is not necessarily well regarded. He is not the most popular player with the public. He is one of the symbols of a struggling Germany national team, with his nonchalance, like that of Serge Gnabry," says Ali Farhat, who believes Sadio Mané will have to deliver a top-level end to the season if he wants to rebuild his reputation. "He has become the black sheep given his salary and his output. Fans in particular are disappointed with his performances, even though he has rarely played in his position. Besides, it worked rather well for him when he was moved back to his preferred flank with Choupo-Moting up front. And it was starting to work before his injury," he recalls.

As they prepare to face Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final second leg, Bayern Munich will need every available player to try to overturn a three-goal deficit. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Sadio Mané could have a card to play against an opponent he has often scored against in the Premier League. It is a chance for him to try to win back part of the wider public, unhappy with his output, but also, why not, to give his answer on the pitch in an affair that may not yet have reached its conclusion. "Even if this story seems publicly settled, a few question marks remain. But over the coming weeks we will be enlightened," says the journalist from DW before concluding: " They are going to have to play together again, possibly as early as this second leg, and their every move will be scrutinised. What will happen, for example, if one scores from the other's assist? Everything will be put under the microscope to be analysed. In my view, it is not impossible that this story will come back up one day. "

Sadio Mané is not in the squad against Hoffenheim.

— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) April 13, 2023