Senegal coach: “Players and fans were in a dangerous situation yesterday”

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has sent a strong message of intent ahead of his side’s clash with Morocco in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, set to be played on Sunday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Morocco booked their place in the final after edging past Nigeria on penalties (4-2) following a goalless draw in the semi-finals, while Senegal reached the showpiece match with a narrow 1-0 victory over Egypt.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Thiaw said: “If we look back at the final against Algeria in 2019, it had its own circumstances and it will be completely different from what we will face against Morocco now.”

He added: “This final will be 11 players from Morocco against 11 from Senegal. We won’t focus on the referee, and we hope everything runs smoothly. Against Algeria things went well, and at that time our squad was largely made up of local players. We do not want to spoil the image of Africa today.”

Thiaw highlighted the quality within his squad, particularly captain Sadio Mané, saying: “We have top-level players, especially Sadio Mané, who wants to win the title and end his AFCON journey with a gold medal.”

The Senegal coach also praised the organization of the tournament, stating: “AFCON 2025 has been organized in a wonderful way, and we don’t want a few small mistakes in the final stages to overshadow that.”

Addressing recent security concerns, Thiaw commented: “What happened yesterday was not normal. Players and fans were in a dangerous situation from a security point of view. This should not happen between two brotherly countries like Morocco and Senegal.”

He continued: “To win the final, we must be physically and tactically ready, especially since Morocco are a strong opponent with great talents and represented Africa excellently at the 2022 World Cup.”

Thiaw avoided talking about referees, saying: “I prefer not to talk about referees. Mistakes can happen from officials and players alike. We are ready for all scenarios and will give everything to win the title and bring it back to Dakar.”

He also spoke highly of Mané’s character: “Sadio Mané is a role model in humility and ethics on and off the pitch. He dedicated his efforts to winning Senegal’s first AFCON title, and I do not want him to retire internationally.”

Thiaw concluded: “Morocco may be the favorites, given their FIFA ranking and their hunger to win a title they have not claimed for 50 years, but they will face hungry Lions who are also determined to lift the African crown.”

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