Dazzling Germany winger Sane having so much fun in Blues’ blistering season
MUCH was expected of him when he arrived at Manchester City from the Bundesliga the summer before last.
And after needing a season to acclimatise to English football, like Pep Guardiola, Leroy Sane is delivering big time. Sane personifies Guardiola’s City reign and the Germany striker initially struggled to adjust to the Premier League’s physical nature. But now the League’s fastest player, who clocked at 22.05mph against Chelsea, is flying and has contributed seven goals and four assists to the Blues’ record 12-match winning streak. This son of a former Senegal international and ex-West German Olympic gymnast is one of the pillars upon which Guardiola is building his City side. His national boss Joachim Low says he has the potential to provide “a lot of joy” but Sane believes the pleasure is all his. “It is fun,” he said. “It’s important on the pitch to have fun, to enjoy the game because it generates a good feeling around the club. “Last season you could see in some games we really enjoyed how Pep wants to play football and what he expects from us. “This season we understand it more. We have improved a lot and everyone can see that.” Sane, 21, also has fun off the pitch with Raheem Sterling and says they hit it off straight away when he arrived from Schalke for £37million. One of their favourite pastimes is ribbing Yaya Toure and they have nicknamed the squad’s elder statesman ‘uncle.’ “We’re the same age and we have a very good understanding,” he said. “When I arrived, he was one of the first ones to say, ‘How can I help?’ He’s a very good guy.” All is not harmony in the City camp, though, and the wisecracking Kyle Walker disputes Sane’s title as the Premier League’s fastest player.
The England defender claims that he is quicker and has challenged Sane and Sterling to a race over 100 metres.
“I think it will happen one day,” laughed Sane. “Kyle Walker thinks he’s quicker than me.
“In games it’s different, you run different distances, players are in different positions, so I don’t know. But we will see!”
While Sane is the fastest, West Brom are the Premier League’s tallest side and today’s clash at The Hawthorns is another chance for the former Schalke starlet to show he can handle the rough stuff.
Sane scored both City goals in their 2-1 League Cup win on his last visit there in September and said: “I have added this to my game. The Premier League is completely different to the Bundesliga, but I’m used to it now.
“Against West Brom, you are up against very tall defenders, who are very strong and you have to be strong too to keep the ball. “I still have to improve a little bit, but I have got better at that.”
If Sane does score again, he may be tempted to whip off his shirt, which would reveal the tattoo on his back of him scoring against Monaco in the Champions League last season.
Although City lost the tie, it was a moment he wanted to mark because he had grown up dreaming of playing in the competition.
“It was very painful,” he said in his impressive English. “I don’t know how many hours I spent, but I split it over four days.
“I have some things that are important to me personally, so that’s why I decided to do it.
“When I was young, I always wanted to play in the Champions League. For me, it was one of the biggest stages to play football, against big teams with big players.
“Everyone watches these games and I remember Pep’s Barcelona winning in 2006.”
Sane says he may have more tattoos to mark future club and international triumphs.
And judging by City’s blistering form, he is going to need plenty of room on his body to accommodate them all.