LIVERPOOL star Sadio Mane has apologised to the people of Senegal for not visiting his homeland after winning the Confederation of African Football’s Player of the Year award.
After picking up the gong on Tuesday at the ceremony in Egypt, the 27-year-old was down to attend a celebration in Dakar on Wednesday, with Senegalese president Macky Sall due to be there.
Liverpool star Mane collected the prestigious award in Egypt on Tuesday
Mane has been in stunning form for Liverpool
But the Reds have confirmed that due to “travel disruption beyond both his and the club’s control”, Mane couldn’t make the visit in the end.
And upon his return to England, Mane told Liverpool’s official website: “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.
“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’s next opportunity to visit Senegal will likely be in the international break at the end of March, when the Lions of Teranga are due to kick off their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Liverpool forward beat off strong competition to scoop the Player of the Year award, pipping runners-up Mohamed Salah and Riyah Mahrez to the gong.
Mane became the first Senegalese player to win it since 2002, when former Liverpool man El Hadji Diouf did so, on the back of his outstanding performances at that year’s World Cup.
The 27-year-old forward has so far scored 11 goals in the Premier League this season
Third placed Riyad Mahrez did beat the Liverpool pair to winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco in 2019.
But Mane’s stunning contribution to the Reds’ amazing year, including winning the Champions League, was enough to beat the Manchester City man to the award.
Liverpool travel to Spurs this evening still unbeaten in the Premier League, with Jose Mourinho becoming the latest manager to try and find a way to stop Jurgen Klopp’s blistering Reds.
Sadio Mane’s village erupts as Liverpool star is named African player of the year
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
