Former Manchester City and Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané has found himself in hot water after a late-night confrontation at Munich's Oktoberfest on Sunday.
The 29-year-old German international, who now plays for Turkish side Galatasaray, admitted he was involved in a physical altercation with Bayern supporters around 11pm.
The incident happened inside the popular Weinzelt tent when Sané was passing through and encountered a group of fans who began hurling abuse at him.
What started as verbal taunts quickly escalated into a brief scuffle that required security intervention.
Leroy Sane won two Premier League titles at Manchester City
|PA
Speaking to Bild afterwards, Sané acknowledged his part in the confrontation, saying he'd been "provoked and personally humiliated" throughout the evening.
According to witnesses, the Bayern fans shouted "Scheiß Gala!" - which translates to "S****y Galatasaray!" - mocking the club he joined during the summer transfer window.
The abuse went beyond football rivalry, with several people claiming some comments crossed into racist territory.
The former Bayern Munich star joined Galatasaray this summer after the expiry of his Bayern Munich contract
|REUTERS
Initially, Sané tried to ignore the jeers and walk away from the situation. But as the insults continued, he turned back to confront the group, leading to a heated exchange of words.
Things turned physical when one fan reportedly shoved the former Bayern player, who reacted instinctively. The confrontation quickly developed into a scuffle before security staff rushed in to separate those involved.
"I was provoked and personally insulted in the marquee over a longer period of time," Sané told Bild. "My club Galatasaray was also insulted. In the heated atmosphere, I was then pushed, and then there was a brief scuffle."
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The former Manchester City star admitted he should have handled things differently.
"Of course, I should have reacted more calmly at that moment and turned it down a notch - I'll take that with me," he said.
Security guards quickly intervened to break up the altercation before it could escalate further.
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Christine da Silva, spokesperson for the Kuffler Group, confirmed there was "a minor security incident" but stressed that security forces resolved it peacefully without needing police involvement.
Sané's move to Galatasaray this summer sparked controversy after he turned down a new Bayern contract following five years at the club.
The Turkish giants confirmed they will be paying the German just shy of £150,000 per week in guaranteed payments, with additional bonuses potentially significantly surpassing that figure.
This isn't the first time Sané's been involved in a physical confrontation. Back in 2023, he had a dressing room bust-up with then-teammate Sadio Mané after a defeat to Manchester City, which left him with a bloodied lip.
The Oktoberfest incident marks an unfortunate return to Munich for the player who won four Bundesliga titles during his time at Bayern.