Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has insisted his side is fully prepared for Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final against hosts Morocco.
The two teams will clash at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium at 9 pm, in what promises to be a highly charged encounter.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Thiaw said Senegal’s focus is on lifting the trophy for the second time in their history.
“We are ready and determined to bring the Africa Cup of Nations trophy back to Senegal,” he said. “Playing against the host country is never easy because they have their fans, but in the end, the fans will stay in the stands.”
Thiaw also addressed the controversy surrounding the Senegal team’s arrival in Rabat, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“What happened yesterday is completely abnormal,” he said. “A team like Senegal gets off the train and is left like that amidst crowds of fans.”
He added that the incident put his players at risk.
“My players were in danger, and anything could have happened if there had been malicious people. The image of Africa is at stake; our tournament, which no one used to watch before, we succeeded today in raising its level high, and we must not spoil that.”
The comments came after the Senegalese Football Federation issued a formal complaint about several issues ahead of the final.
Despite the controversy, Thiaw stressed that his team remains focused on the task at hand.
“To win this match, we must be prepared tactically and technically, against a strong team that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, and this has contributed to the development of African football,” he said.
He also chose not to comment on refereeing, saying: “Everyone makes mistakes and we must focus on playing our match. We are confident in our ability to bring the cup back.”
Morocco reached the final after beating Nigeria on penalties following a goalless draw, while Senegal secured their spot with a 1-0 victory over Egypt, thanks to a goal from Sadio Mane.
Senegal won their first AFCON title in 2021, while Morocco’s only triumph came in 1976. The tournament in Morocco began on December 21 and concludes with Sunday’s final.
