FC Schalke 04's U19 international Leroy Sané has been voted as the "Best Newcomer" of the season by the German PFA. The 19-year-old attacking all-rounder won 17.1% of the votes to beat Bayern Munich’s Juan Bernat (11.1%) and Leverkusen and Germany winger Karim Bellarabi (8.1%) to the so-called “Silver Arrow”.
Sané made 13 Bundesliga appearances last season, scoring three goals. He also made his UEFA Champions League debut in S04's 4-3 victory over Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, scoring a stunning goal for the 3-3 equaliser. Sané is one of the most dangerous attacking players in Germany's U19 side: In eight games he bagged four goals and is now targeting glory at the European Championships in Greece (July 6th-19th).
De Bruyne and Favre scoop awards
VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Borussia Mönchengladbach coach Lucien Favre also received honours after their successful seasons. De Bruyne was crowned as "Player of the Season" by both the PFA and by German football magazine 11Freunde, while Favre led the category of "Best Coach".
De Bruyne received 42.5 percent of the votes by his peers, finishing ahead of Dutchmen Arjen Robben (29.9 %) from champions FC Bayern München. The 29-strong 11Freunde-Jury, consisting of Germany national team coach Joachim Löw and Silvia Neid, also voted in the same fashion (De Bruyne 64 points/Robben 26 points).
Gladbach's Eberl wins "Sporting Director of the Season" award
Borussia Mönchengladbach coach Lucien Favre (39.8%) comfortably won the award for "Best Coach" after taking his side to next season's UEFA Champions League. Second and third place went to Wolfsburg’s Dieter Hecking (13.2%) and Bayern’s Pep Guardiola (12.6%) respectively. Löw and Co. also named Favre as the best coach last season, giving him 64 points. FC Augsburg's Markus Weinzierl placed second with 26 points. The 11Freunde voting had a different outcome to the PFA's in terms of "Best Newcomer", as they saw U20 international Julian Brandt (Bayer 04 Leverkusen/48 points) ahead of Germany left back Jonas Hector (1. FC Köln/45 points).
The 11Freunde magazine also voted for the "Sporting Director of the Season", with the honours going to Borussia Mönchengladbach's Max Eberl (66 points), beating of Augsburg's sporting director Stefan Reuter (41 points). The magazine crowned second division side 1. FC Union Berlin with a “Sportsmanship of the Year” award for their remarkable handling of the situation concerning their midfielder Benjamin Köhler, who was diagnosed with cancer last season.