Sadio Mane Misses Senegal’s Fixtures Against Ireland and England

Sadio Mane will be absent for Senegal in their upcoming international matches against Ireland and England next month, as he has requested to be excused from the two friendly fixtures.

The 33-year-old is the only notable omission from the 26-man squad announced by coach Pape Thiaw on Tuesday.

“It’s a personal choice that is his private matter, and I respect that as a coach,” Thiaw remarked at a press conference.

Mane, who has earned 111 caps for the west African nation, has faced criticism following his recent performances for Senegal in March, where they managed a draw against Sudan but secured a victory over Togo in World Cup qualifying.

Thiaw has introduced midfielder Mamadou Lamine Camara as a new inclusion in the squad; Camara recently triumphed in the African Confederation Cup with his Moroccan team, Renaissance Berkane.

Seven players are making their return after missing the March qualifiers, including Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye from Everton.

Senegal will face Ireland in Dublin on June 6 and then take on England in Nottingham on June 10.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw (Rodez), Yevhann Diouf (Stade Reims), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli)

Defenders: Abdou Diallo (Al Arabi), El Hadj Malick Diouf (Slavia Prague), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal), Antoine Mendy (Nice), Moussa Niakhate (Olympique Lyonnais), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa)

Midfielders: Lamine Camara (Monaco), Mamadou Lamine Camara (Renaissance Berkane), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano), Habib Diarra (Racing Strasbourg), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton), Pape Gueye (Villarreal), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Lazio), Idrissa Gueye (Metz), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea), Cherif Ndiaye (Red Star Belgrade), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Abdallah Sima (Stade Brest).