Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane is to miss out on Senegal’s FIFA World Cup’s opener against Netherlands due to a knee injury.
The Lions of Teranga are scheduled to take on Luis van Gaal’s charges on Monday, 21 November.
The kick off is at 18:00 [SA time].
Aliou Cisse’s side are pitted in Group A with Ecuador, Netherlands and the hosts Qatar.
Mane suffered a knee tendon injury during Bayern’s 6-1 win over Werder Bremen on November 7.
However, the talented forward was deemed fit to travel with the national team to Qatar.
“We will have to rely on playing the first games without Sadio and win without Sadio because we have 25 players apart from Sadio,” said Senegal FA board member Abdoulaye Sow as quoted by Sky Sports News.
“No one would have wanted it, but that’s what’s happened to us.”
The 30-year-old footballer played an crucial role in helping his country win their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title held in Cameroon earlier this year, also inspiring them to this year’s World Cup competition.
He has been in fine form since joining Bayern at the beginning of this campaign from Liverpool, having scored 11 goals in 23 appearance across all competitions for his new side.
To put a cherry on the top, in July this year, Mane was named the prestigious African Player of the Year, his second African Player of the Year award, winning it back in 2019.
He was also rewarded with the Socrates Award in recognition of his charity work in his native country last month.
SENEGAL WORLD CUP SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Gomis, Seny Diang
Defenders: Bouna Sarr, Saliou Ciss, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Abou Cisse, Abdou Diallo, Ibrahima Mbaye, Abdoulaye Seck, Fode Ballo Toure, Cheikhou Kouyate
Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr, Pape Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Moustapha Name, M. Loum Ndiaye, Joseph Lopy.
Forwards: Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Baafter Dieng, Keita Balde, Habib Diallo, Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, Mame Babe Thiam.
