Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has defended forward Sadio Mane after the Senegal international was suspended for punching Leroy Sane.
The two players clashed after the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, with Mane ultimately punching his teammate before being separated by the rest of the squad, and Bayern confirmed earlier this week that Mane would be suspended and fined.
Tuchel was keen to move on from the drama during Friday’s press conference, praising the team for their response to the incident.
“I didn’t witness the incident myself because I was in the coach’s room,” Tuchel began. “I didn’t hear or overhear anything.
“I immediately spoke to everyone involved. Because it was a very blatant incident, it was necessary for us to clarify the matter before the next training session and to be clear in our communication to everyone who works here. We have cleared the air so that we can train well together again.
“We’re not the first team to have an incident like this and we won’t be the last. The way the two people involved handled it had a cleansing effect. We had a positive, energetic atmosphere in training.”
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Tuchel went on to defend Mane, insisting the former Liverpool man has shown remorse for his actions and deserves a second chance.
“I’m the first to defend him. I’ve known him for so long, I know his environment, I know him exclusively as a top professional. He has never, never, never been guilty of anything,” Tuchel said.
“Everybody has the right to make a mistake. This was too much and against the code of conduct of the team and FC Bayern. He has clearly admitted it, the apology has taken place. It is absolutely credible. It was important to me that he remained in training.”
Mane will miss this weekend’s clash with Hoffenheim because of his internal suspension but Bayern have not yet confirmed whether he will return to the squad for the following game, the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against City.
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