Matthäus: Sadio Mane move to Bayern an error, Tuchel has been terrible

Bayern Munich legend, Lothar Matthäus has described Sadio Mane’s move to his former club as a mistake following the Senegalese struggles in the Bundesliga.

Matthäus, a former FIFA World Player of the Year, explained that the Senegalese skipper’s form had depreciated since returning from an injury which ruled him out of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last November.

Mane has struggled to cement a place in the Bayern team since his feud with teammate Leroy Sane last month after reports suggested he punched his German colleague.

In an interview with SuperSport, the 1990 FIFA World Cup winner with Germany said Mane’s days at Bayern were over and expected the Senegalese to leave Allianz Arena at the end of the season.

“He has not been able to replicate his form at Liverpool and it is obvious the club is no more interested in him.

For Matthäus, who won six Bundesliga titles with Bayern during his first spell with the Bavarians between 1984 and 1989, believes his former club may have got it all wrong in signing Mane after his successful career with Liverpool where he won the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles.

“You can say that maybe the move to Bayern was a mistake for him and the club and so I don’t see him staying at the club beyond this current season,” said Matthäus.

Mane joined the Bavarians ahead of the start of the 2022-23 Bundesliga season but has failed to live up to expectation, scoring seven goals in 25 appearances for the club.

The 31-year-old lost his place in the dressing room following an altercation with Sane, which led to the club handing him a hefty fine and subsequently losing faith in him.

Matthäus also believe the club are worse under Thomas Tuchel. 

Bayern sacked former coach Julian Nagelsmann in March as they believe the potential to win the treble was in danger. Fast forward two months and Bayern have been knocked out of the DFB Pokal, the Champions League, and look set to miss out on the Bundesliga title on the last game of the season. 

Currently two points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund, Bayern must beat FC Koln away and hope that Mainz 05 draw or beat BVB in the leader’s own backyard.

Matthäus believes Bayern have gotten worse under Tuchel. “Of course, many mistakes were made even before the change of coach, which ultimately led to this situation. But the team, which was still on triple course under Nagelsmann, plays worse under Tuchel,” explained the 62-year-old. 

Matthäus went on to question Tuchel’s attitude during press conferences and how he tells the media what is wrong rather than his own players: “Tuchel increased the uncertainty because at his press conferences, which I find a bit strange, he always talks about how difficult everything is and what doesn’t work, instead of standing in front of the team. Add to that the unnecessary Müller discussion and too many changes of position.”

The upcoming summer and following campaign will be crucial for Tuchel and Bayern. The former Chelsea man has already called on bringing in a variety of players to help rejuvenate the squad.