By Daily Sports on January 10, 2020
Senegal’s Sadio Mane has apologised for not visiting his homeland before returning to Liverpool after being named the Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) Player of the Year.
The 27-year-old striker received the award at a ceremony in Egypt on Tuesday and was due to go to Senegal on Wednesday as part of the celebrations.
A ceremony had been organised at the Museum of Black Civilisations in Senegal’s capital Dakar, with the country’s president Macky Sall due to attend.
However Liverpool explained that “travel disruption beyond both his and the club’s control” had meant he was unable to make the visit and would now do so “at the earliest possible opportunity”.
“I am of course very happy and proud to win this award and I want to dedicate it to everyone who has helped me on my journey from the very beginning," Mane told the Liverpool website.
“It was my plan to first fly to Senegal to thank the people of my country and recognise them for everything they have given me on my journey, but unfortunately we were unable to make the visit.
“Now we have a big match against Tottenham this weekend which I must focus on and be ready for, but it is true I am disappointed I was unable to return home to say thank you because of some problems beyond our control.
“So, I will return to Senegal as soon as possible because it is something very important to me – I will never forget what everybody did for me, everybody who believed in me and everybody who gave me the chance to play football.”
Mane is set to return home at the end of March when Senegal are due to begin their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, although they are yet to find out who they will play. (BBC)
•PHOTO: Saido Mane
Source Daily Sports
Posted January 10, 2020
You may also like...
CAF elections: Nwosu backs Amaju
Loftus-Cheek Expects Chelsea Title Challenge
Inter Secure Europa League Passage At Empty San...
Tough choosing right players for Eagles – Peseiro...
Unstoppable Liverpool See Off Leicester To Stretch Premiership...
World Cup: Let’s not be fooled by Croatian...

World Cup: Argentina face FIFA sanction over Falklands banner display
World Cup English FA backs Tuchel despite semi-final loss
Messi, Argentina finds Pickford’s penalty cheat sheet – Report
Argentina punished England after sensing weakness, doubts, says Scaloni W’Cup semi-final win
Commonwealth Games: Igali praises welfare, backs Team Nigeria for success
Important Lessons From 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS: Dear Ibrahim Gusau, It's Time To Resign Honorably
Nnadozie tops WSL keepers’ chart
FULL LIST: Unai Simón joins World Cup clean-sheet greats as Barthez, Shilton remain joint leaders
Ashe declares readiness for Commonwealth Games
Amusan secures 2026 Diamond League final spot
Nigerians demand NFF overhaul after Eagles’ W’Cup absence
France, Spain battle for place in World Cup final
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,955 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,295 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,206 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,813 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,696 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,565 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,453 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,970 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,189 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,655 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,136 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,521 views)