Sadio Mane 'set to miss Senegal's World Cup opener against Holland'

Sadio Mane ‘is set to miss Senegal’s World Cup opener against Holland’ as the Bayern Munich forward rushes to return to action from the leg injury he suffered in their final Bundesliga match before heading to Qatar

  • Sadio Mane suffered a leg injury in Bayern Munich’s game with Werder Bremen
  • He was called up by Senegal despite concerns he could miss the World Cup
  • It’s been reported that he ‘will miss Senegal’s first games’ of the tournament
  • Senegal get their World Cup underway on Monday afternoon against Holland
  • Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results

Sadio Mane is reportedly expected to miss Senegal’s opening games of the World Cup with a leg injury.

The Bayern Munich forward had been a doubt for the World Cup due to an injury sustained in Bayern Munich’s clash with Werder Bremen.

Senegal called Mane up for the tournament in Qatar but it has now been reported that the African Cup of Nations winners could be without their star man as the tournament gets underway.

Sadio Mane will reportedly miss Senegal’s ‘first games’ of the upcoming Qatar World Cup

Mane’s World Cup place had been at risk after he suffered a leg injury though Senegal opted to call him up to their 26-man squad in the hope that he would recover in time

Sky Sports have reported that they have been told by Senegal’s football federation that Mane is expected to miss ‘their first games’ of the tournament.

It means the former Liverpool forward looks unlikely to feature in their opener against Holland on Monday.

There will be some concern over whether he will be fit in time for their clash with tournament hosts Qatar on November 25 or Ecuador on November 29.

Mane is a vitally important figure for Senegal, after firing them to glory in the African Cup of Nations, as well as into the World Cup via their penalty shoot-out win over Egypt. 

He limped off after 20 minutes during a 6-1 Bundesliga win against Werder Bremen on Tuesday, with Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann confirming the 30-year-old would have an X-ray to assess the damage. 

Mane played a vital role in Senegal winning the African Cup of Nations this year as well as getting to the World Cup via a penalty shoot-out victory against Egypt

 It was then reported by French outlet L’Equipe that the injury was serious enough to keep the player out of the tournament in a huge blow to the Africa Cup of Nations champions.

But it seems Senegal are happy to give up a slot in their squad in the hope Mane, who finished second in this year’s Ballon d’Or voting behind Karim Benzema, can recover in time to feature in some part of the World Cup.

 Last week, FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura said the country would use witch doctors to help him get to the competition.

‘We are going to use witch doctors,’ she told Europe 1. ‘I don’t know (if they’re effective) but in this instance, we’re going to use them anyway. We are hoping for miracles. He has to be there!’

Senegal are widely tipped by many to finish second in their World Cup group – which could lead to a round of 16 clash with England.  




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