Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has named a preliminary 25-man list for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations, taking place in Egypt.
The list is headed by Premier League top scorer and Liverpool ace Sadio Mane. The 27-year old attacker, who scored 26 goals in all competitions (22 in the Premier League and four in the Champions League), is set to play the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday against Tottenham.
Cisse also had a couple of surprises in his team; he picked Bursaspor forward Henri Saivet and left-back Saliou Ciss who have been out for almost a year.
“They have been with us for a long time and they know the team. I am watching them closely and they are in good form now,” Cisse said at a press conference on Friday.
Senegal are playing in Group C alongside Algeria, Kenya and Tanzania.
Senegal squad:
Goalkeepers: Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes, France), Alfred Gomis (SPAL, Italy), Edouard Mendy (Reims, France).
Defenders: Salif Sane (Schalke 04, Germany), Kalidou Koulibaly (Naples, Italy), Pope Abou Cisse (Olympiacos, Greece), Lamine Gassama (Goztepe, Turkey), Moussa Wague (Barcelona FC, Spain), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux, France), Saliou Ciss (Valenciennes, France).
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton, England), Alfred Ndiaye (Malaga, Spain), Badou Ndiaye (Galatasaray, Turkey), Krépin Diatta (Brugge FC, Belgium), Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace, England), Sada Thioub (Nîmes, France), Sidy Sarr (Lorient, France), Henri Saivet (Bursaspor, Turkey).
Attackers: Keita Balde (Lazio, Italy), Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Moussa Konate (Amiens, France), Ismaïla Sarr (Rennes, France), Mbaye Diagne (Galatasaray, Turkey), Mbaye Niang (Rennes, France), Santy Ngom (Nancy, France).
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