Julian Nagelsmann was on the end of a furious tirade from Sadio Mane in front of the whole Bayern Munich dressing room before being sacked, it's alleged.
Reports from Germany state that the former Liverpool hero lost his temper with Nagelsmann after waiting until the 82nd minute to feature in Bayern's recent 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Having signed from Liverpool for £35million in June, Mane has spent much of his first season in Munich sidelined through injury but was fit and available for the round-of-16 clash.
To his frustration, the Senegalese forward received just 13 minutes of game-time to help Bayern see-off PSG in the second leg and book a quarter-final clash with Manchester City. Nagelsmann will no longer be in charge, though, having been dismissed by Allianz Arena chiefs last week.
It's a hotly-debated decision which has prompted a huge wave of fallout in Bavaria, including claims of a bust-up with Mane. According to German tabloid Bild, as other Bayern players and staff celebrated their triumph, the 30-year-old star furiously complained at Nagelsmann for not bringing him on earlier in the win.
It's said that this caused the German coach to feel intimidated, as the situation threatened to escalate. Mane's alleged behaviour contrasts his usual humble persona, rarely displaying negative emotions and often considered a delight to have in the squad.
The report is also at odds with how Bayern team-mates Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka assessed Nagelsmann's time in charge and his surprise departure heading into the most important part of the campaign. "We won only five games out of our last 10. But I can say that he didn't lose the dressing room," Kimmich affirmed to TZ, via Goal.
Have your say! Did Bayern make the right decision by sacking Nagelsmann? Join the debate in the comments section.
"I've already been through a few coaching changes – there was nothing to indicate internally that he lost the dressing room or that players are unhappy. We all were surprised."
Meanwhile, Goretzka also revealed that he felt shocked, saying: "I would be lying if I said the last few days hadn't affected me. It was extremely difficult. We've had a very close relationship with Julian. I probably saw him more than my family. It was a shock!"
After it was confirmed that ex- Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel would be Nagelsmann's replacement, Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn explained: "When we signed Julian for FC Bayern in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis – and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end. Julian shares our aspiration to play successful and attractive football.
"But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often. After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now."
