Bundesliga

Sadio Mane speaks exclusively about rivalry with Mohamed Salah

Published

4 weeks ago

July 22, 2022

Sadio Mane was again named Africa's Footballer of the Year on Thursday.

After moving to Bayern Munich, Sadio Mane spoke about his relationship with ex-teammate Mohamed Salah. Coach Julian Nagelsmann talks about the pressure in the upcoming season. All news and rumors about FCB.

Click here for the news and rumors about FC Bayern from the day before.

FC Bayern: Sadio Mane exclusively about relationship with Mo Salah

Bayern new signing Sadio Mane has cleared up rumors of a rivalry between himself and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah. During their time together on Merseyside, there had been speculation that the two weren’t quite together.

“Honestly, I have no rivalry with any player,” Mane told SPOX and GOAL ahead of the CAF Awards in Rabat, Morocco. “We have a good relationship and write to each other regularly,” Mane added, referring to ex-teammate Salah. “I think it’s the media that’s always trying to make things bigger than they really are.”

Mane and Salah formed a great duo at Liverpool for six years, including winning the 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League together before Mane joined Bayern this summer.

However, the two were also sometimes rivals during this period when they met with their national teams. Senegal and Egypt met in both the Africa Cup final and in the World Cup playoff. Mane and his team were in the lead in each case and on Thursday also won the title of Africa’s footballer of the year for the second time. Here are all of Mane’s statements about Salah.

FC Bayern: Nagelsmann talks about increasing pressure

After a weak second half of the season, in which only ten of 17 games in the Bundesliga were won and the surprising defeat in the Champions League against Villarreal, FC Bayern will have to get back on track next season. In addition, no team has ever spent more money on the transfer market than Bayern.

That brings with it expectations, and coach Julian Nagelsmann knows that too: “If you spend a lot of money on new players, the pressure naturally increases. As a Bayern coach, you’re always under pressure, of course, but I think I can handle it. And I hope we are more stable than last season,” said Nagelsmann at a PK in the USA.

The 34-year-old also addressed the weak second half of the season, but was optimistic. “It should be better than last season,” says Nagelsmann: “The first half of the season was good, I was satisfied with that. In the second half of the season, the last seven or eight games in particular were not good. We have to improve that. But that’s not the only reason on the players, but also on me. I have to focus more on our performances and less on the opponent.”

FC Bayern: RB boss Oliver Mintzlaff etches because of Laimer

After Dayot Upamecano and Marcel Sabitzer, will Bayern bring Konrad Laimer, the third Leipzig player to the Isar in two years? The Red Bulls have not yet approved the transfer, but there are indications that Laimer will wear the Munich shirt by 2023 at the latest.

RB boss Olaf Mintzlaff doesn’t like that at all, who sharply attacked Bayern on the sidelines of the friendly against Liverpool: “I hope Bayern will find other ideas and don’t always get our players,” said Mintzlaff ServusTV.

The 46-year-old did not want to rule out the possibility that Laimer would not change until next summer and that Leipzig would not receive a fee. Here you can find detailed news about the alternating theater around Konrad Laimer.

Who goes where? The transfer options of Bavaria’s sales candidates

1/24

Matthijs de Ligt, Sadio Mane, Ryan Gravenberch, Noussair Mazraoui – FC Bayern Munich has made big exclamation marks on the transfer market. But the work is far from done, because there is still a lot to do on the delivery side!

2/24

SPOX examines the situation of seven sales candidates in the Bayern squad. One thing is clear: FCB needs fresh money in order to be able to better balance the high expenditure costs. An overview of the latest rumours.

3/24

The hottest topic these days is the situation of the centre-backs. De Ligt and Lucas Hernandez are considered set at headquarters. According to kicker and Sky, Bayern are willing to sell one of their central defenders.

4/24

DAYOT UPAMECANO: The Frenchman only came from Leipzig last summer for 42.5 million euros and still has a contract until 2026. His first season in Bayern dress was changeable, sovereign performances alternated with outrageous ones.

5/24

According to consistent media reports, Upamecano would consider a move to England if things could “get tight” for him at FCB, as kicker had predicted. At Manchester United they are looking for players for this position.

6/24

BENJAMIN PAVARD: Pavard could also hit it. The 26-year-old has mainly defended on the right so far, but is aiming for a transfer to the centre. Especially since newcomer Mazraoui should appear there in the future.

7/24

Atletico Madrid, Chelsea FC and Juventus Turin are traded as interested parties. According to kicker, coach Julian Nagelsmann would prefer to give Upamecano if in doubt because Pavard can be used more flexibly.

8/24

TANGUY NIANZOU: According to the current situation, the 20-year-old is the most likely departure among the three central defenders mentioned. According to information from L’Equipe, he wants to leave FCB due to the transfer from de Ligt.

9/24

Previously, the same newspaper wrote that Nianzou’s advisor wants to explore his client’s future together with Hasan Salihamidzic. At that time it was said that FCB would like to extend, Nianzou could imagine a loan or a departure.

10/24

L’Equipe named Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig as interested parties. According to Sky, Nagelsmann wants to observe Nianzou in preparation and then decide whether a loan deal would be the better option for him.

11/24

However, the coach has already said: “Loaning Tanguy is not an option. He will definitely stay with us. He has developed well in the second half of the season. He is firmly planned in my head and will play a role.”

12/24

BOUNA SARR: The sales candidate par excellence! FCB has wanted to give up the right-back for a long time after he came from Olympique Marseille in October 2020 for 8 million euros. But so far there have been no concrete offers for him.

13/24

Allegedly, many clubs refrain from an offer because Sarr probably earns around 2.5 million euros a year. According to tz, Sarr is open to a permanent change. If this cannot be realized, a loan would also be conceivable for him.

14/24

After winning the Africa Cup with Senegal at the beginning of the year and convincingly doing so, OSC Lille, Girondins Bordeaux, AS Roma and FC Genoa are said to have kept their eyes on Sarr. Again and again a return to OM is brought into play.

15/24

MARCEL SABITZER: Is in a similarly unclear situation as Sarr after his weak opening season. His advisor Roger Wittmann first said that Sabitzer would like to correct this, but then later said: “There is no such thing as 100 percent in football.”

16/24

With that he opened the door for an exit again. But: It “depends on what Marcel wants. If he wants to stay, he stays,” says Wittmann. With a corresponding offer, Sabitzer should be able to leave the club early.

17/24

This should be in the range of around 15 million euros. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, AS Roma are said to be interested because coach Jose Mourinho is said to be convinced of Sabitzer. Mou once wanted to guide him to Tottenham.

18/24

Sabitzer’s problem could be a compatriot: FC Bayern is very interested in Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig. If this change worked out and Sabitzer’s perspectives were reduced as a result, there should be movement in the personnel.

19/24

JOSHUA ZIRKZEE: The striker was loaned out during pre-season preparation, performed well at RSC Anderlecht and is now back in Munich hoping his prospects have improved. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

20/24

According to Sky, FCB wants to take twelve to 15 million euros and sell Zirkzee – but with a buyback option. Zirkzee’s contract expires in 2023. His advisors are currently exploring the market, and there seems to be more than enough interested parties.

21/24

Most recently, FC Bologna was traded. It would be Zirkzee’s second spell in Italy after being loaned out to Parma. Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and clubs from England and others from Italy are said to have Zirkzee on the list.

22/24

CHRIS RICHARDS: After two loan deals to TSG Hoffenheim, the 22-year-old is back in Munich. The American hopes to take part in the World Cup in Qatar – and needs match practice.

23/24

As Sky and Bild report, a change to Crystal Palace is imminent. The fee is between 15 and 20 million euros including bonuses. 35 percent of the sum should go to the former club FC Dallas.

24/24

It would also be possible for Richards to be integrated into a deal for Hoffenheim’s David Raum as equivalent value. According to kicker, TSG is demanding up to 40 million for this, with the help of Richards the deal could become cheaper for the interested Munich team.

FC Bayern: Summer timetable at a glance

date	Opponent	venue	contest	result
Wednesday July 20th	DC United	Audi Field, Washington DC (USA)	test match	6:2
Saturday 23rd July	Manchester City	Lambeau Field, Green Bay (USA)	test match	–
Saturday July 30th	RB Leipzig	Red Bull Arena, Leipzig	Supercup final	–
Wednesday 31 August	Victoria Cologne	Höhenberg Sports Park, Cologne	DFB Cup, 1st round	–