2021 AFCON: Mane, Mendy, Koulibaly all in Senegal squad for Cameroon

Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly has been named in the Senegal squad for the Africa Cup of Nations as he returns from injury.

The 30-year-old had been a doubt for the tournament after picking up a thigh strain in a match against Sassuolo on 1 December.

He has not played for his Italian club since then but is in Senegal coach Aliou Cisse’s 27-man squad for the finals that kick-off on 9 January in Cameroon.

The 2019 runners-up are in Group B alongside Guinea, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, as they seek a first ever continental title.

As expected the squad does include English Premier League stars Sadio Mane (Liverpool, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Cheickou Kouyate (Crystal Palace), Ismailia Sarr (Watford) and Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City).

Seny Dieng, who plays in the Championship in England for Queens Park Rangers, is named as one of the reserve goalkeepers alongside first-choice Mendy.

Injury means that Monaco’s Krepin Diatta will miss the tournament.

Senegal squad for Afcon 2021

Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea, England), Alfred Gomis (Rennes, France), Seny Dieng (Queens Park Rangers, England).

Defenders: Bouna Sarr (Bayern Munich, Germany), Saliou Ciss (Nancy, France), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, Italy), Pape Abou Cisse (Olympiakos, Greece), Abdoulaye Seck (Royal Antwerp, Belgium), Abdou Diallo (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Ibrahima Mbaye (Bologna, Italy), Fode Ballo-Toure (AC Milan, Italy), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace, England).

Midfielders: Pape Matar Sarr (Metz, France), Pape Gueye (Marseille, France), Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City, England), Idrissa Gana Gueye (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Moustapha Name (Paris FC, France), Mamadou Loum (Alaves, Spain), Joseph Lopy (Sochaux, France).

Forwards: Boulaye Dia (Villarreal, Spain), Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Habib Diallo (Strasbourg, France), Bamba Dieng (Marseille, France), Ismaila Sarr (Watford, England), Famara Diedhiou (Alanyaspor, Turkey), Mame Baba Thiam (Kayserispor,Turkey), Keita Balde (Cagliari, Italy).

Source: BBC