Africa-Press – Senegal. The Football Lions are « determined and motivated » to win the match against the Cheetahs of Benin on Saturday, as part of the qualifiers for the next African Cup of Nations (CAN), in order to “demonstrate” that Senegal remains “one of the best teams” on the continent and in the world, said Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly.
“We want to win and show that Senegal is one of the best teams, if not the best team on the African continent and one of the best teams in the world. It goes through a victory on Saturday,” he said.
Koulibaly was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at the end of the fifth training session of the Senegal team, ahead of this match counting for the penultimate day of the CAN 2023 qualifiers scheduled in Côte d’Ivoire (January 13 to February 11, 2024).
The Lions of Senegal, reigning African champions, have already qualified for this competition, two days before the end of the playoffs.
According to the captain of the Senegalese team, the meeting against the Cheetahs will be « very difficult », the Lions being « highly anticipated » after their first continental title won during the last AFCON played in Yaoundé, Cameroon (January 9-February 6). 2022). “But the [Senegalese] players will be ready,” assured the Chelsea defender, in the English Premier League.
Even if some players are not present at this gathering of the Lions, the “training sessions [are] intense and lively”. “The most important thing is that we are mentally and physically ready and that we are a competitive team to defend the colors of the country on Saturday,” he added. “We have no right to fail”, asserted the Senegalese captain, according to whom whatever the Lions’ starting XI, “the whole team will be motivated to lend a hand and win this match”.
According to Kalidou Koulibaly, playing for the Senegal national team is “very easy. We are already motivated as soon as we arrive in a group. Everyone wants to wear the shirt and start”.
Koulibaly also returned to the international friendly match that Senegal will play against Brazil on Tuesday in Portugal, three days after the match against Benin counting for the qualifiers for the next African Cup of Nations.
“Against Brazil it will be a big game. We will see Senegal play against a great nation in the world. This is the kind of meeting that everyone is waiting for. It will be played in Portugal, but I hope we will be able to hold such matches at home,” said the Lions defender, who had Habib Diallo, one of the Lions strikers, at his side.
Diallo also assured that the players of Senegal will approach the match against the Seleção « like a qualifying match ». “We have no right to lose. We are not on vacation yet,” said the Senegalese striker, member of Strasbourg (Senegalese Ligue 1), who ended this season with a total of 20 goals on the clock.
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