Sadio Mané is one of the most prominent names to have moved to FC Bayern in recent years. The Senegalese now speaks openly about his time in Munich – and surprises with his interpretation.
The move in the summer of 2022 was considered a real coup: the German record champions brought the then Liverpool star to the Isar for around €32 million. Mané was a star in England for years, winning the Champions League with the Reds, among other titles, and scoring an impressive 158 points in 269 competitive matches. But things went differently than hoped in Munich – in sporting terms, he fell short of expectations. In the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the 33-year-old looks back on his decision.
„I wanted to leave my comfort zone and try something new,“ explains Mané. There had been offers from the Premier League, but a direct move to a league rival was out of the question for him. Instead, he was won over by the persistent courtship of FC Bayern. „They kept asking, again and again. At some point, I said: ‚OK, let’s give it a go‘.“
„Without the Bayern switch…“
His time at the record champions was sobering for the attacker in sporting terms – twelve goals in 38 appearances fell short of the high expectations. Nevertheless, Mané does not draw a negative conclusion. On the contrary: „Without the Bayern transfer, I might not have ended up in Saudi Arabia at all.“ As the interview reveals, it was precisely this year that triggered his next career move.
After his false start in Munich, several clubs contacted him, including clubs from Saudi Arabia. The vision of the league quickly fascinated him: „I thought: that sounds good and interesting.“ During the talks, it became clear that they wanted to build one of the strongest leagues in the world – with international stars and big sporting goals.
Looking back, he doesn’t see the move to Munich as a mistake, but rather as an important step that opened new doors.