As if the sudden sacking of their head coach, a German cup elimination, and a heavy 3-0 loss in the Champions League quarterfinals wasn't enough to process, Bayern Munich are now grappling with a reported incident between star players.
Sadio Mane allegedly had a bust-up with Bayern Munich teammate Leroy Sane after their 3-0 first-leg defeat to Man City in the Champions League on April 11.
News from Germany broke out the next day with various outlets claiming an altercation occurred between Mane and Sane, which escalated after the final whistle. Bayern later described the incident as "misconduct" on Mane's part as they confirmed he would miss their next match and pay a fine.
The Sporting News breaks down the latest news and the fallout from the incident. How new manager Thomas Tuchel handles it could go a long way toward determining how the German giants regroup to salvage their season.
MORE: Pep Guardiola vs. Thomas Tuchel head-to-head history
Did Sadio Mane punch Leroy Sane?
According to German media outlet BILD, who first reported the news, Mane hit Sane in the face after an argument from the match spilled over into the dressing room at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.
Photos taken during the match showed the two attackers in an apparent disagreement, with Sane visibly frustrated with Mane. It appears the German winger was not done talking heading into the tunnel.
Sky Germany said that Sane's lip was bleeding following the altercation, claiming Mane threw a punch before other players had to separate the former Premier League wingers. Reports are not definitive as to whether the altercation involved a punch or slap, but Sane was nonetheless the target.
What have Bayern Munich said?
Bayern issued a statement on Thursday (April 13) to confirm that Mane would not be part of the matchday squad for their next Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim. The player has also been issued a fine.
The club said their decision was "due to the misconduct" of Mane "after Bayern's Champions League match at Manchester City". They did not offer any further specifics.
The club earlier commented on Dayot Upamecano's most recent Instagram post after the defender received racial abuse following the defeat in Manchester, where his errors contributed to Man City's aggregate-goal lead.
Mane, Sane matches played together
Since the Senegal international joined the German champions in a high-profile move in the summer of 2022, the pair have played 25 matches together and a total of 1,200 minutes.
The Bayern duo have combined just once for a goal in that time. Mane assisted Sane during a 5-0 win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League group stage.
After sitting out the Hoffenheim game, Mane was brought back onto the bench for the second leg against City, with Sane starting in attack.