Senegal talisman Sadio Mane has predicted that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast will be toughest than the previous editions.
The Al Nassr playmaker was speaking to CAFOnline on the chances of Teranga Lions defending the title they won the last time in Cameroon.
Senegal won their first-ever AFCON title after edging out Egypt after a post-match penalty shootout in the final at the Stade Olembe in Yaounde in February 2022.
Sharing his view, the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich star predicted a toughest competition as all the biggest nations in African football have qualified for the continental showpiece in Ivory Coast.
“We know it won’t be easy, but we will try our best to go through every round. We are expecting a tough competition,” Mane expressed.
“This AFCON will be one of the strongest since I started playing it because all the big nations are here, and they have their targets, but we will see what happens.”
When asked what it would mean to win the AFCON trophy in succession, the Senegalese star said it will be a special achievement as the AFCON trophy remains one of the best trophies he has won in his glittering career.
“Firstly winning the AFCON was the best trophy I have ever won in my life. Coming to Ivory Coast to do it again will be special and a big achievement.
“It’s been a dream to play in this competition since I was a kid, and we will do our best.”
Senegal are paired in Group C, which can be described as the group of death.
It includes 5 time winners and the last edition’s hosts Cameroon, Gambia, who were quarter-finalists in the last edition, and 1976 runners-up Guinea.
