Not long ago Sadio Mane was banned from the Bayern Munich dressing room - now Thomas Tuchel 's pulling his pants down in training.
Mane, 31, has endured a difficult first season in Germany and made headlines in April for allegedly punching team-mate Leroy Sane following Bayern's Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Manchester City, a 3-0 whitewash. After Sane was left with a bloody cut on his lip, former Liverpool star Mane was subsequently banned for one game and fined around £300,000 by club officials - the highest amount in Bayern's history.
Back in Tuchel's squad and having scored one goal in three games since returning, Mane looks more content at the Allianz Arena than compared a few weeks ago. A hilarious video has now emerged amid suggestions that Liverpool could plot a reunion ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.
In footage posted on Bayern's social media channels, Tuchel is seen walking across the training pitch at Sabener Strasse and spots the Senegalese forward standing still, talking to a member of staff. Cheekily, the ex- Chelsea manager whips down part of Mane's shorts, as the 31-year-old quickly reacts and pulls them back up before giving his boss a glare.
Mane is renowned for his easy-going personality, although his time in Munich has been no laughing matter. After a solid start to the season under previous manager Julian Nagelsmann, the Senegal international was forced to miss the World Cup through a serious leg injury and returned to action when Bayern were struggling.
Since Nagelsmann's sacking, Tuchel has won just three of his eight games in charge but has done enough to lift the Bundesliga champions back into first place above rivals Borussia Dortmund. Bayern have, however, been knocked out of the Champions League and DFB-Pokal in the past month, giving Mane and co plenty of room for improvement next term - if he's still there.
As a result of both his and Liverpool's difficult campaigns, talk has naturally surfaced regarding a potential return to Anfield this summer. In an interview with Mirror Football , however, two-time Premier League winner and ex-Liverpool centre-back Kolo Toure warned Reds boss Jurgen Klopp about bringing Mane back to Merseyside.
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"Every club will go through a transitional moment," Toure explained, speaking on behalf of BT Sport. "I think losing Mane was big for them... Mane, for me, was special for them because he could score goals and provide goals, but he also had a big personality. He's a player that when it was tough, he was able to make the difference.
"But I still believe they are looking for the new version [of Liverpool]. Jurgen is looking to refresh his team and look for the players who are going to fit well in the team."
