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Senegal confirmed the news that their star forward would miss the whole tournament in a video posted to their twitter account, team doctor Manuel Afonso said, adding Mane will need surgery before he can return to action.
“Unfortunately, today’s MRI shows us that the improvement is not as favourable as we imagined and unfortunately, we have to withdraw Sadio from the World Cup,” Afonso explained.
Mane sustained the injury to his right leg while playing for Bayern Munich on November 8, with initially optimistic news claiming he may only miss Senegal's opening two matches against the Netherlands and Qatar.
The new development that he will have to miss the entire tournament is a devastating blow for the African champions - Mane being the team's best player and shining light who was set to spearhead the strongest Senegal squad ever at a World Cup.
His absence at the tournament will give coach Aliou Cissé the tough job of choosing who to replace him in the forward line, with a variety of talented but less experienced, proven options including the likes of Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou, Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye with Watford's Ismaila Sarr likely the only confirmed forward so far.
Senegal in Group A
Tuesday, November 22
Senegal v Netherlands
2:30am - 5:30am (AEDT) - kickoff at 03.00am
LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand
Friday, November 25
Qatar v Senegal
11:30pm - 2:30am (AEDT) - kickoff at 00.00am
LIVE on SBS and SBS On Demand
Wednesday, November 30
Ecuador v Senegal
1:30am - 4:30am (AEDT) - kickoff at 02.00am
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand
