Mane to miss Senegal’s ‘first games’ at Qatar World Cup

Senegal will miss the services of star forward Sadio Mane in their first games at the FIFA 2022 World Cup billed to hold in Qatar.

This was revealed by an official from the country’s football federation on Tuesday evening.

Mane, who finished second behind Karim Benzema in the 2022 Ballon d’Or award, sustained a leg injury few weeks to the start of the World Cup.

The Bayern Munich forward was however named in the Teranga Lions squad for Qatar despite the injury, which forced him off in a club game last week.

Read Also: Injured Mane in Senegal’s 26-man World Cup squad

The German champions said the 30-year-old had an injury “to his right fibula”, but Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said Mane does not need an operation.

“We will have to rely on playing the first games without Sadio and win without Sadio,” Senegal football federation board member Abdoulaye Sow told AP.

“No-one would have wanted it, but that’s what’s happened to us.”

The West African team begin their Group A campaign against the Netherlands on Monday, with games against hosts Qatar (25 November) and Ecuador (29 November) to follow.

Earlier in the year, Mane helped Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after they defeated Egypt in the final.

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