Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane DOES make Senegal’s World Cup squad despite being injured
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Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane DOES roster Senegal despite being injured… after FIFA general secretary claimed the African country would use witch doctors to help the attacker reach the tournament
The injured striker Sadio Mane has been included in Senegal’s World Cup squad.
The West African country announced their official 26-man roster on Friday morning for the Qatar tournament that starts later this month.
And Bayern Munich star Mane, 30, his country’s best player, is one of the players traveling to the Middle East – the day after FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura said the country would use witch doctors to get him to the help competition.
Injured attacker Sadio Mane has been selected in Senegal’s 26-man squad for the World Cup
The news comes a day after FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura claimed the African country would use witch doctors to ensure the talisman star made it into the tournament.
Pictured: The Lions of Teranga’s list for the World Cup, which starts in Qatar on November 20
Mane limped off after 20 minutes in a 6-1 Bundesliga win against Werder Bremen on Tuesday, with Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann confirming the 30-year-old would have an X-ray to assess the damage.
It was then reported by French outlet L’Equipe that the injury was serious enough to keep the player out of the tournament, which was a huge blow to the Africa Cup of Nations champions.
But it looks like Senegal is happy to give up a place in their roster in hopes that Mané, who finished second in this year’s Ballon d’Or vote behind Karim Benzema, can recover in time to take part in some of the World Cup.
Mane limped in a 6-1 win against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Tuesday
The injury was reported to be serious enough to keep the stricken star out of competition
On Thursday, Samoura, the No. 2 governing body of world football, said the country will go to great lengths to ensure he attends, admitting they’re not even sure the unorthodox technique will work, but they hoping for ‘miracles’.
“We’re going to use witch doctors,” she said Europe 1. “I don’t know (if they’re effective), but in this case, we’re going to use them anyway. We hope for miracles. He must be there!’
Mane was diagnosed with an injury to his right fibula, and Bayern – who banned him from Saturday’s game against Schalke, the last game before the World Cup – said he would undergo further tests in the coming days.
Senegal’s team doctor Manuel Afonso has flown to Munich to assess the extent of Mane’s injury.
Mane, the two-time African Player of the Year, is crucial to the African champions’ hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.
Senegalese President Macky Sall tweeted on Wednesday: “Sadio, I wish you a speedy recovery. Sadio, heart of a lion! My whole heart is with you!’
Augustin Senghor, president of the Senegalese Football Federation, said: ‘We are crossing our fingers, we have been worried since we got the news.’
If Mane missed the World Cup, his absence would be felt en masse in the Senegal camp. The ex-Liverpool man has picked up 93 caps for his country and scored 34 goals.
He played a key role for the team on their way to winning this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, as they defeated Egypt on penalties in the final after scoring four goals during the tournament.
Mané – who came to Bayern for £35million from Liverpool in the summer – shone for his club during his first season in Germany. He scored 11 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions, as well as recording four assists.
Premier League trio Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye are the biggest names in Cisse’s selection.
The Lions of Teranga kick off their tournament against the Netherlands on November 21, before taking on hosts Qatar and Ecuador in Group A.