Major Blow for Senegal: Sadio Mané Out of 2015 Africa Cup of Nations
Just ten days before the start of the 2015 African Cup of Nations, Senegal faces a serious setback. Their standout player during the qualifiers, Sadio Mané, will miss the tournament.
Mané got injured last Thursday in the Premier League match against Arsenal after scoring for Southampton. Initially, there was hope as Southampton reassured fans on Saturday that he was fit for the FA Cup match on Sunday. However, the club later confirmed that Mané will miss that game and is sidelined for 4 to 6 weeks with a calf injury, announced by coach Ronald Koeman.
This means Mané will miss his first Africa Cup of Nations—a huge loss for Senegal and coach Alain Giresse, who must now find a new driving force for the team. The Senegalese squad is also monitoring the fitness of striker Diafra Sakho, who is currently out injured.
Mané’s absence is the second significant loss ahead of the tournament, following Mali’s Cheick Diabaté’s injury withdrawal.
