SADIO MANE RULED OUT OF WORLD CUP IN QATAR WITH LEG INJURY
Bayern Munich forward and Senegal international Sadio Mane will miss the World Cup in Qatar after undergoing successful surgery to treat a leg injury on Thursday evening. Bayern announced the devastating news before Senegal confirmed it on Friday morning.
“Sadio Mane underwent successful surgery in Innsbruck by Prof Christian Fink and Dr. Andy Williams from London on Thursday evening,” Bayern Munich’s official statement read. “During the operation, a tendon was reattached to the head of his right fibula. The FC Bayern forward will therefore no longer be available to play for Senegal at the World Cup and will begin his rehab in Munich in the next few days.”
Senegal team doctor Manuel Afonso confirmed later on that following a further MRI scan, it was determined best for Mane to undergo surgery, meaning that he would therefore play no part in the World Cup. Mane suffered his leg injury 20 minutes into Bayern Munich’s 6-1 win over lowly Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on November 8.
The 30-year-old was initially named in Senegal’s 26-man squad on November 11th with Senegal manager Aliou Cisse hopeful that he’d have Sadio Mane available to feature in the tournament by at least the last game of the group stages. The injury is a big blow for the African champions’ and their World Cup aspirations and almost certainly tarnishes the continent’s prospects of reaching a quarter final for the first time since South Korea in 2002.
“Losing Sadio Mane is not something small for Senegal and African football,” Aliou Cisse said. “I cannot speak of his absence even if in my head I have to take this into account.”
Sadio Mane is Senegal’s talisman. Not only is he the team’s captain but also their main goal threat. The Sedhiou-born forward has had 93 caps for Senegal, scoring 34 times for his country, the highest goal tally in the nation’s history and is thus the country’s all-time top goal scorer.
The two-time African Player of the Year has proven clutch for Senegal in his career and not only scored the final spot-kick in the Africa Cup of Nations final that saw Senegal crowned African champions for the first time but also scored the decisive goal that sent Senegal to Qatar.
Mane went on social media to cheer on the Senegal national team saying: “Senegal’s ready! Bring on [the] World Cup.”
Senegal’s goalkeeper and Mane’s teammate Edouard Mendy sent a message to Sadio Mane on Instagram that read: “Mon frère, we are all with you [My friend, we are all with you].”
Without the reliant chance-creating and goal-scoring services of Sadio Mane, the Lions of Teranga will have to lean on youth and counter-attacking capabilities of 23-year-old Bamba Dieng, Watford’s Ismaila Sarr and Famara Diedhiou’s experience.
The team will also need their backline to remain solid and stout as it was at AFCON this year, conceding just two goals en route to the title. Manned by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal’s defense has proven to be a force to be reckoned with. The team has also added AC Milan’s Fodo Ballo-Toure and has only upgraded with the return of Real Betis’ Youssouf Sabaly.
While the injury to Sadio Mane is unfortunate, the Senegal national team is intent on showcasing its prowess at the international level and wants to perform well “for its captain.” Head coach Aliou Cisse has been at the helm for the West African giants since 2015 and will now have to utilize the talent available to him like he never has before. The team still boasts some of the best players in leagues across Europe like former Paris Saint Germain midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye, RB Leipzig’s Abdou Diallo, Nottingham Forrest’s Cheikhou Kouyate, and Tottenham Hotspur’s Pape Matar Sarr.
Although disappointed by missing arguably the greatest player in the nation’s history, the three-time World Cup participants will be confident going into the tournament that they still have enough quality to make a deep run in the knockout stages.
The Lions of Teranga play 2010 World Cup finalists, the Netherlands on Monday, November 21st at 11 am ET before they take on the hosts Qatar on Friday, November 25th.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Екатерина Лаут. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.