Sadio Mane is looking forward to teaming up with Thomas Tuchel as he looks to prove to Bayern Munich exactlywhy they bought him.
The Senegal star moved to the Allianz Arena in the summer, bringing an end to his successful spell at Liverpool, but hasn't lived up to the lofty expectations. Mane had been a huge hit at Anfield but a lack of consistency and injury problems have hampered his debut year in Germany.
Mane has scored 11 times for Bayern, who could still win the treble, but are currently sat second in the Bundesliga. As a result they've opted for a change in the dugout: axing Julian Nagelsmann and replacing him with Tuchel, who left Chelsea earlier this season.
The German manager, who has tasted Champions League success and worked at some of Europe's top clubs, had an interest in Mane at both Chelsea and PSG, according to Sky Germany, but never managed to capture the forward. Now though they get a chance to team up.
Mane's season was disrupted by an injury that also cost him an appearance at the World Cup back in the winter. He has since regained his place in the Bayern first-team, but faces plenty of competition for places and Tuchel is set to quickly put his stamp on things.
He can pick from the likes of Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller and Eric Choupo-Moting - whom he worked with at PSG. Back in October Mane admitted: "Switching from one club to another is not easy. I spent eight very nice years in England, six years at Liverpool [after] two at Southampton, and now I am in a new country. It is not easy because everything changes so suddenly: people, training, everything.”
The forward's struggles have since continued with Nagelsmann, prior to his dismissal, looking for more from his summer addition. Mane was even hooked at half-time during one encounter which underlined his difficulties in Bavaria.
Tuchel's first match in charge of Bayern could go someway to deciding the title as they take on league leaders Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena. Mane will have his first opportunity to stake his claim as the new manager casts his eye of the squad.
The former Chelsea boss took training for the first time on Monday with several trophies still on offer for the German giants. Bayern could still go and add more firepower this summer having not replaced Robert Lewandowski with a natural No 9 amid links with Tottenham's Harry Kane, who could be on the move.
