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Former Bayern Munich and Manchester City winger Leroy Sane has admitted to being involved in a 'brief scuffle' during his return to Bavaria for Oktoberfest.
Sane, 29, left the Bundesliga champions this summer following five years of service, turning down a new contract in order to join Turkish giants Galatasaray in a move that sparked fury in Munich.
That very fury seemingly came to the fore at Oktoberfest – the largest beer festival in the world, held annually in the city – as the German international returned to the area to celebrate.
During his brief visit on Sunday, Sane stopped by the Kufflers Wine Tent to enjoy late-night drinks, but a group of rowdy Munich fans reportedly shouted abuse in his direction, referring to his summer move away from the club, at around 11pm.
It is alleged that one fan repeatedly shouted 'S***ty Gala!', to which Sane snapped. The player himself has since disclosed that he reacted angrily to the insult, and a physical altercation ensued between him and the fans.
Sane told BILD: 'I was provoked and personally insulted in the festival tent over a prolonged period of time – my club, Galatasaray, was also insulted. In the heated atmosphere, I was then pushed, and then there was a brief scuffle.
Leroy Sane (pictured in 2023) was involved in a 'scuffle' at Oktoberfest in Munich on Sunday
The former Bayern Munich star returned to Bavaria for the world's largest beer festival to indulge in late night drinks
He claims he was 'provoked' by Bayern fans, with one allegedly shouting 'S***ty Gala!' at the winger regarding his move to Galatasaray this summer
'Of course, I should have reacted more calmly at that moment and switched to a standstill – I'll take that with me.'
Security guards are said to have rushed to the scene of the melee quickly, before it was broken up without the need for police interference.
'There was a minor security incident on the gallery on Sunday evening,' Christine da Silva, spokesperson for the Kuffler Group, told BILD. 'But the security forces moderated it and were able to resolve it peacefully. There was no need for police.'
This is far from the first scrap Sane has been involved in. Back in 2023, while playing for Bayern, he was involved in a fiery altercation with former team-mate Sadio Mane following a defeat to Man City.
Mane was left disgruntled by the way in which Sane had addressed him during an argument on the pitch, and is believed to have punched the former City player in the face upon returning to the dressing room.
He was left with a bloodied lip before the pair were dragged away from each other.
Sane has been one of the best wingers in European football over the past decade, shining for Man City, after coming through the ranks at Schalke, before moving to Bayern in 2020.
So, when news broke that he had decided to turn down a new contract at the German champions, he was criticised by both fans of the club and those in the media.
Sane was reportedly punched by former team-mate Sadio Mane while at Bayern in 2023
Former Tottenham and Hamburg midfielder Rafael van der Vaart was one of Sane's critics, and just last month, the now TV pundit gave his thoughts on the attacker's move to Galatasaray.
'I think Sane's development is simply a shame,' he said. 'He threw away his own career.'
Sane's pay packet in Turkey has certainly caught the eye since his controversial transfer, with the former City man's salary exceeding that of every Premier League player besides Erling Haaland.
The winger will bank £10.23million per season after tax, the Turkish giants have revealed in an extraordinary statement. Football finance expert Stefan Borson claims this would work out as £21.3m gross per annum in the UK - or £410,000 per week.
And that outstrips other top earners such as Mohamed Salah, who banks £400,000 every seven days, and Casemiro and Virgil van Dijk on around £350,000.
Sane will be paid a basic net salary of around £7.7m per year and then £2.5m in a net loyalty bonus each season. His contract started on July 1 and is a three-year deal, meaning he is set to earn £30.69m over the duration of it.
He won four Bundesliga titles in five seasons with Bayern after joining from Manchester City in a £55m deal in 2020.
Meanwhile, during his four years in Manchester, Sane scored 39 goals and added 44 assists in 135 games, with the German winning eight trophies, including two Premier League titles.
