2022 World Cup: Mane to miss first Senegal’s fixture in Qatar

According to a Senegalese Football Federation official on Tuesday, Sadio Mane would miss Senegal’s “first games” of the World Cup owing to injuries.

The Bayern Munich forward’s participation in Qatar 2022 appeared to be at risk after he fractured his fibula this month, but Aliou Cisse nevertheless picked him for his 26-man team.

The Senegalese Football Federation board member Abdoulaye Sow indicated that Mane will miss more Group A games than just Senegal’s meeting against the Netherlands on Monday.

Next Thursday, Senegal will play the hosts Qatar, followed by their final group game on November 29 against Ecuador.

Abdoulaye Sow’s statement

Sow stated: “Senegal will have to cope without its best player for the start of the tournament and not whine too much.”We will have to rely on playing the first games without Sadio and win without Sadio because we have 25 players apart from Sadio.”No one would have wanted it, but that’s what’s happened to us.”

Mane played a key role in Senegal’s victory in the Africa Cup of Nations this year, and since joining Bayern from Liverpool, he has had an impressive debut.

Due to his injury, the 30-year-old will miss next week’s matchup with Virgil van Dijk, a former Reds teammate.