Published 18:50 IST, June 26th 2023
UEFA Champions League winner voted worst outfield player in Bundesliga
Sadio Mane was named as a disappointment in the Bundesliga by other players as a result of his underwhelming debut season at Bayern Munich.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Why you’re reading this: Sadio Mane’s first season at Bayern Munich was not as good as expected. His switch to the Bundesliga from the Premier League hadn't exactly gone as planned. The Senegal forward was close to winning the quadruple in his last-ever season for Liverpool. The player decided to go for a new challenge, joining FC Bayern Munich for a deal worth up to a maximum of €41 million (£35 million), or €32 million (£27.4 million).
3 things you need to know
- Sadio Mane's contract expires with Bayern Munich on Jun 30, 2025
- Sadio Mane won the UEFA Champions League 2019 with Liverpool
- Sadio Mane has been voted the Bundesliga's worst outfield player
How did Mane fare in his debut season with Bayern Munich?
Sadio Mane has been struggling with consistency since he arrived in Germany. The winger had a promising start after scoring a goal in his first appearance against RB Leipzig in the German Supercup and scored on his Bundesliga debut against Frankfurt. However, the graph went down soon.
He suffered a fibula injury in early November, which would keep him out for three months. As a result, he was unable to represent Senegal at the World Cup. After his return from the injury, the player was reported to fight with his teammate, Leroy Sane in the dressing room after the UEFA Champions League quarter-final loss to Manchester City. The left winger was suspended and was fined by the club.
The Senegal icon did win the Bundesliga as Bayern Munich overcame an upset from Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the season, but Mane's first season in Germany was disappointing as compared to his last 5 seasons. In 38 games in all competitions, he scored 12 goals.
Mane is selected by Bundesliga players as their "biggest disappointment."
Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane is currently facing a career setback as he finds himself at a new low in his tenure with the club. After each Bundesliga season, an unconventional vote takes place among players, where they candidly assess their peers. One of the categories involves selecting the "outfield player who disappointed the most throughout the season." In this year's poll, over 250 players participated, and the results were far from favourable for Mane.
A staggering 41.7% of the voters singled him out as the biggest letdown. The outcome must have been a harsh blow for the talented player. Surprisingly, Joshua Kimmich garnered the second-highest votes for disappointment at 7.5%, although a significant portion of players, 26.9%, either refused to vote or opted for "Other." Completing the list of the top five most disappointing players, as determined by their fellow Bundesliga stars, were Anthony Modeste, Leroy Sane, and Leon Goretzka.
Updated 18:50 IST, June 26th 2023