Dakar (AFP)
Liverpool’s top scorer Sadio Mane and his rival in the “Premier League”, Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, will be among the most prominent names in which Senegal will participate in the African Nations Cup finals scheduled between January 9 and February 6 in Cameroon, according to the squad announced Friday by coach Aliou Cisse.
Cissé, who will play his third continental final as coach of Senegal, included 27 professional players outside the country, including Bona Sarr (Bayern Munich, Germany) and Abdel Diallo (Paris Saint-Germain, France).
The squad includes 17 players who have never participated in the continental championship, whose 33rd edition was postponed from early 2021 to early 2022 due to the repercussions of the Corona virus.
Cisse commented on the squad with which he will travel to Cameroon, saying that “the essence of the team is there,” considering that the presence of players playing in the continental finals for the first time may play a positive role.
Cisse seemed more determined than ever to win the title, and said, “I want this Africa Cup of Nations, I’ve been panting after it since 1999,” referring to his loss in the final of the tournament as a player and captain in 2002 in Mali at the hands of current host Cameroon, and then to the final. The last edition as a coach in 2019 was held in Cairo by Algeria.
The Senegalese team will enter a training camp in Diamniadio, near Dakar, from Monday, in preparation for the finals, where it fell in Group B along with Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi.
Mane and his colleagues start their journey against Zimbabwe on January 10, before meeting Guinea on January 14 and Malawi on January 18.
lineup:
Goalkeepers (3): Edouard Mendy (Chelsea, England), Alfred Gomis (Rennes, France), and Ciné Dieng (Queens Park Rangers, England).
Defense (9): Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, Italy), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna, Italy), Bona Sarr (Bayern Munich, Germany), Shekho Kouyate (Crystal Palace, England), Abdou Diallo (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Abdoulaye Seik (Antwerp, Belgium). , Fode Palo Toure (AC Milan, Italy), Salio Cisse (Nancy, France), and Pape Abou Cissé (Olympiakos, Greece).
Midfield (7): Idrissa Gana Gaye (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Nampeles Mendy (Leicester City, England), Pape Matar Sar (Metz, France), Mustafa Nayem (Paris FC, France), Mamadou Loum Ndayi (Alaves, Spain), Pape Guy (Marseille, France), and Joseph Loube (French Sochaux).
Forwards (8): Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Boulaye Dia (Villarreal, Spain), Ismaila Sarr (Watford, England), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg, France), Bamba Dieng (Marseille, France), Keita Baldi Diao (Cagliari, Italy), Mami Baba. Thiam (Kaysarspor, Turkey), and Famara Didio (Antalyaspor, Turkey).
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