"If it hits my head, I'll be in the hospital" - Mané on penalty scene against Inter
Created: 02/11/2022, 13:10
By: Florian Schimak
Sadio Mané endured a contentious scene against Inter Milan.
© IMAGO/Michael Weber IMAGEPOWER
Sadio Mané was also one of the best players against Inter Milan.
In the 2-0 win, however, one scene in particular was discussed by the FC Bayern attacker.
Munich – Long after 11 p.m. on Tuesday night, Sadio Mané was almost the last to stroll through the mixed zone out of the catacombs of the Allianz Arena.
Almost all of FC Bayern's stars were already gone.
With headphones in his ears, he walked leisurely in the direction of the exit and then briefly answered the journalists' questions.
The 30-year-old was again one of the best players in the Bayern squad in the 2-0 win over Inter Milan.
His phase in which he lacked esprit and good humor?
Past.
Mané has shown what is expected of him in recent weeks.
Dribbling, goals and great offensive scenes.
On Tuesday evening, however, after the game, an action by Mané that had nothing to do with an offensive action was discussed.
In the 8th minute, Inter got a corner kick, which was initially cleared by Bayern.
Nicolo Barella's long-range shot was then blocked by Mané in the penalty area, albeit with the hand he was using to protect his face.
Sadio Mané describes the penalty scene: "If it hits my head, I'll be in the hospital"
"It was a hard shot, if it hits my head I'll be in the hospital," Mané describes the scene in the mixed zone: "Honestly, I only protected my head." Referee Ivan Kruzliak from Slovakia watched the scene then for a few minutes on the VAR monitor and surprisingly decided: No penalty!
Almost everyone who had seen this action in slow motion would have decided differently.
But not the referee.
Mané further:.
"I thought that was allowed and that such an action doesn't lead to a penalty, that's why I behaved like this in the penalty area," said the Senegalese, for whom it was clearly a "protective hand".
"Of course it wasn't a penalty for me."
The much-discussed scene from the 8th minute: Sadio Mané gets the ball in his hand.
© IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi no longer understood the world when studying the pictures.
The countless journalists in the Allianz Arena also agreed that Kruzliak should have pointed to the point.
In the end he didn't do it, there was no penalty and it remained 0-0.
In the end, FC Bayern then won 2-0 over Inter Milan and moved into the last 16 of the Champions League with 18 points and a clean sheet.
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Sadio Mané and the reunion with Liverpool?
"Let's wait"
The knockout phase of the Champions League will be drawn there next Monday (7 November, 12 noon).
A possible opponent for Munich would be Liverpool FC.
Ironically, one would like to say in the case of Mané.
"The draw is the draw, we can't know yet," Mané avoided looking into the crystal ball: "The draw is on Monday, right?
Then we'll see who we get."
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Klopp has made it clear in the past that he misses Mané – things are not going well for Liverpool at the moment.
Mané made no secret of the fact that a meeting with the former club was a special game for him.
"Yes, of course," he said: "But let's wait and see what comes out of the draw on Monday," said the offensive star, who was probably quite happy that evening that he didn't end up in the hospital.
Ultimately, Mané probably wouldn't have complained either if referee Kruzliak acted strictly according to the rules in this one scene - and left humanity out in this case.
But that's how it is with Bayern's upcoming CL opponents: you just don't know.
(smk)
Florian Schimak reports from the Allianz Arena