Senegal star Ismaïla Sarr suffers groin injury ahead of November AFCON qualifiers

Senegal international Ismaïla Sarr has suffered a groin injury that is expected to keep him out of action until after the November international break, raising doubts over his availability for the Teranga Lions’ upcoming assignments.

The Crystal Palace winger has been ruled out of his side’s Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on October 31 after failing to recover sufficiently to return to competitive action.

Crystal Palace head coach Pierre Sage confirmed the winger’s absence, admitting that the Senegalese attacker is currently not fit enough to feature.

“At the moment, he is not fit to play,” Sage stated.

Sarr’s latest injury setback comes at an unfortunate time, with the forward having already struggled to enjoy a smooth start to the campaign at Selhurst Park.

His absence will also be a concern for Crystal Palace, considering the attacking qualities and experience he brings to the team. The club will now hope that the Senegal international makes sufficient progress during his recovery to avoid a prolonged spell on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, the injury has placed his involvement in Senegal’s November international assignments in serious doubt.

The Teranga Lions are scheduled to play their third and fourth matches in the qualifying campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with Sarr’s fitness likely to be a major consideration for the technical team ahead of the squad announcement.

The winger’s potential absence would be a setback for Senegal, given his pace, attacking threat and ability to make a difference in the final third.

Senegal’s coaching staff are expected to monitor his rehabilitation closely before making a final decision on his availability for the November training camp.

With his return to action anticipated after the international break, the former Watford and Marseille attacker faces a race against time to regain full fitness and put himself back in contention for national team selection.