Lamine Sané Defends Willy Sagnol Amid Controversy Over Comments on African Players
Despite the widespread backlash following Willy Sagnol’s controversial remarks about the “typical profile” of African players, Lamine Sané, captain of Girondins de Bordeaux, has publicly defended his coach.
Speaking to Micro Bleu Gironde, the Senegalese international acknowledged that Sagnol’s comments were clumsy, but insisted they do not reflect any malicious intent.
“He was clumsy, but we know the man,” Sané said. “He’s a very good person. He really doesn’t have any twisted ideas or bad minds. The proof is that I’m captain and he did everything to keep me. He has confidence in all the players of color who are in this team.”
Sané’s support comes as a counterweight to the call made by Pape Diouf, former Marseille president, who urged African players in Ligue 1 to boycott the upcoming matchday as a symbolic response to Sagnol’s remarks.
While Sagnol is yet to fully address the controversy in public, his club has stood behind him, and now one of his key players has too. Sané concluded by reaffirming the squad’s trust in the coach:
“It’s a clumsy move, let’s tell the truth. We have confidence in him and we hope to go very far with him.”
The incident continues to stir debate across French football, but Sané’s words may help cool tensions within the Bordeaux dressing room.
