Mane makes Senegal World Cup squad despite injury scare

Senegal boss Aliou Cisse said Sadio Mane does not need an operation on the injury he sustained playing for Bayern Munich. PHOTO: BBCSports

• ‘He Does Not Need An Operation’

Sadio Mane has been included in Senegal’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar despite suffering an injury scare on Tuesday. The 30-year-old forward was forced off in the first half of Bayern Munich’s 6-1 victory over Werder Bremen.

The German champions said he had an injury “to the head of his right fibula” and will miss today’s game against Schalke. Senegal begin their Group A campaign against the Netherlands on November 21.

“We are monitoring the situation and have sent one of our doctors to assess him,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said at a press conference in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, yesterday.

“On Thursday, Sadio spent the whole day in Munich before travelling to Austria for further tests. The good news is that he does not need an operation.

“We want the situation to evolve in two-three weeks. I don’t want to rule him out.”

The former Liverpool player, Mane, is Senegal’s star player and talisman, having scored the winning penalty when the Teranga Lions became continental champions for the first time in February, defeating Egypt in a shoot-out in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Less than two months later, Mane repeated the feat, netting the decisive spot-kick as Senegal beat Egypt – in a clash that again pitted him against then Liverpool team-mate Mohammed Salah – on penalties in a crunch play-off to qualify for Qatar.

As his country’s record goalscorer, with 34 goals in 93 caps, Mane’s fitness is key to Senegal’s chances and Cisse will be sweating on his availability ahead of their opener against the Dutch, with matches against hosts Qatar (25 November)