"Wow!" - Sadio Mane's off-field behaviour at Liverpool left former teammate speechless

Sadio Mane’s behaviour at Liverpool left one of his former teammates stunned.

While Mane’s one-year spell at Bayern Munich was nothing short of disastrous, marked by poor performances and an off-field altercation with team-mate Leroy Sane, the Senegal international will forever be a legend at Liverpool.

Mane won every possible trophy while on Merseyside and his exit coincided with one of the Reds’ worst season under Jurgen Klopp to date.

The player's influence at the club can still be felt today - just ask former teammate Billy Koumetio. The 20-year-old defender, who is still on the books at Anfield though currently on loan at Ligue 2 outfit USL Dunkerque, has waxed lyrical about Mane.

Discussing his experience rubbing shoulders with the Liverpool first team, Koumetio told the Liverpool Echo: "Sadio is always the one who was there before everybody. He works really hard.

“I came also early one time, but not as early as Sadio, so I was seeing him working in the gym. I was like, ‘Wow! He is working in the gym already.’

"This is the time when people come in and go to eat, but he’s not eating. He's there, working in the gym. 'Wow'. He was doing sit-ups, and sit-ups, and sit-ups. 'Wow'.

“I went to get changed and went to get something quickly to eat. Came back to the changing room, and then went to join him in the gym. I saw him working, and then the squad came 30-45 minutes afterwards, and he was still working there! He was the last to go out of there. 'Wow.'"

Koumetio added that while Mane's work ethic was impressive, the winger, now of Al Nassr, was always happy to extend his advice to those around him.

The Liverpool youngster said: "Sometimes, he is the one who gives me advice on how to work and how to do things. It's not just him, they are all examples to me.

“I look at the way they are doing things. And if, for example, for 10 seconds or one minute I'm just there doing nothing, it would be like, 'Billy! What are you doing?! Come on, come on! Give more, give more!'

"But Sadio is one that was pushing me and I see his mindset and his impact. It's not only me, you saw him talking to the other youngsters and Divock and Hendo talking to the young ones who come from the academy."

Topics: Football, Sadio Mane, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Al Nassr

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.