Senegal coach Aliou Cissé has published a 25-man provisional squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations where the Teranga Lions will face in Group C Tanzania, Kenya and Algeria in Egypt.
The list is mainly made up of known faces like Liverpool star Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Idrissa Gana Gueye.
However, Henri Saivet, Saliou Ciss, Sidy Sarr and Santy Ngom make a return to the outfit after a long absence. The coach says the four players have proved at their respective clubs that they deserved a place in the national team.
While Krepin Diatta and Sada Thioub earned their second call ups, Kara Mbodji, Diafra Sakho and Adama Mbengue were dropped due to poor form. Injured Cheikh Ndoye was not selected as well.
Senegal will begin preparations at home in Saly before leaving for Alicante in Spain on June 7 for more fine tuning. The team will wrap up with a friendly match against Nigeria in Egypt on June 16.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes, France), Alfred Gomis (SPAL, Italy), Edouard Mendy (Reims, France).
Defenders: Salif Sane (Schalke 04, Germany), Kalidou Koulibaly (Naples, Italy), Pope Abou Cisse (Olympiacos, Greece), Lamine Gassama (Goztepe, Turkey), Moussa Wague (Barcelona FC, Spain), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux, France), Saliou Ciss (Valenciennes, France).
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton, England), Alfred Ndiaye (Malaga, Spain), Badou Ndiaye (Galatasaray, Turkey), Krépin Diatta (Brugge FC, Belgium), Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace, England), Sada Thioub ( Nîmes, France), Sidy Sarr (Lorient, France), Henri Saivet (Bursaspor, Turkey).
Forwards: Keita Balde (Lazio, Italy), Sadio Mane (Liverpool, England), Moussa Konate (Amiens, France), Ismaïla Sarr (Rennes, France), Mbaye Diagne (Galatasaray, Turkey), Mbaye Niang (Rennes, France), Santy Ngom (Nancy, France).
