Despite sustaining a leg injury this week, Sadio Mane will remain a part of Senegal’s World Cup roster, a source within the national football association told AFP on Thursday.
With coach Aliou Cisse expected to reveal his team on Friday, the source assured that Sadio Mane would be included in the list the following day.
Mane hobbled off during Bayern Munich’s 6-1 victory over Werder Bremen on Tuesday. Mane, who came in second place behind Karim Benzema in this year’s Ballon d’Or vote, staggered off the field.
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His right fibula had been injured, according to the diagnosis. He would go through more testing, according to Bayern, in the upcoming days.
According to the source, Mane “remains calm, he’s professional, he knows that injury is part of the job.”
The 30-year-old scored the winning penalty as Senegal won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in February, beating Egypt in a shootout in the final.
Mane also converted the decisive spot-kick in the World Cup play-off the following month as Senegal again defeated Egypt on penalties.
He has been ruled out of Bayern’s final game before the World Cup against Schalke on Saturday.
The Senegal team doctor, Manuel Afonso, has flown to Munich to assess the extent of Mane’s injury.
But Senegal hope their talisman will be fit in time for their opening game of the tournament on November 21 against the Netherlands.
In Group A, the Lions of Teranga will also compete against the hosts Qatar and Ecuador.
The two-time African player of the year, Mane, is essential to the chances of the African champions making it to the knockout rounds.
On Wednesday, the president of Senegal, Macky Sall, tweeted, “Sadio, I wish you a swift recovery.”
He continued, “Sadio, heart of a lion! All my heart is with you!”
The president of the Senegalese football association, Augustin Senghor, told AFP he was “worried.”
We cross our fingers since we have been anxious ever since learning the news.
