Sadio Mane willing to swap Champions League win for Afcon glory with Senegal
Sadio Mane has revealed that he would swap his Champions League glory with Liverpool for success at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal this summer.
Mane is currently on international duty with Senegal at this year’s Afcon, which is taking place in Egypt, but missed his nation’s opening game due to suspension.
International honours over domestic? Five things you need to know…
- Mane scored 26 goals in 50 games across all competitions for Liverpool during the 2018/19 season.
- The former Southampton winger averaged a goal every 163 minutes for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
- The 27-year-old has scored 14 goals in Europe across the past two seasons, with the Reds reaching two finals, winning this season.
- Senegal have never won the Africa Cup of Nations.
- They won their opening Afcon match 2-0 against Tanzania in Group C without Mane.
Speaking to reporters while on international duty, Mane’s ambitions with Senegal were made very clear.
The Liverpool man revealed that if given the choice between European glory with his domestic employers or winning this year’s Afcon with Senegal, he would choose the second option every time.
He said: “It is up to us to achieve something great.
Get MyBet.Africa’s Afcon offer HERE – Ts&Cs apply. +18 only. BeGambleAware.org.
“Of course, we are one of the favourites, we cannot hide from that. But this standing is not enough to go all the way.
“Winning with my country, which has never won the Africa Cup of Nations, that would be magnificent. I am even ready to swap a Champions’ League to win an Africa Cup of Nations. The return to Dakar would be extraordinary.
“This is my biggest and most crazy dream.”
Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
Goals from Keita Balde Diao and Krepin Diatta secured Senegal an opening game win against Tanzania, with Mane now free to participate in their upcoming fixtures following the serving of his suspension.
Senegal are in action on Thursday against Algeria, with Mane and Co knowing that a win will edge the knockout rounds closer as they attempt to seal a historic summer for their nation.
