Cesc Fabregas angry over Senegal forward’s AFCON departure

Cesc Fàbregas, head coach of Italian side Como, has expressed his frustration over his Senegalese forward Assane Diao’s departure to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21 until January 18, 2026, with several European clubs set to lose key players during the tournament.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of Como’s clash against Roma, Fàbregas chose not to go into full details regarding the situation.
“I prefer not to go into the details of this matter,” Fàbregas said.

He added: “Assane Diao knows my position very well, and I spoke to him after the Inter match.”

The Spanish coach went on to reveal that he also contacted Senegal’s national team coach personally, admitting that the exchange was not pleasant.
“I also spoke personally with the Senegal coach, and honestly, it was not a pleasant conversation at all. That’s why I completely distance myself from talking about this issue,” he explained.

According to Italian media reports, Fàbregas was not keen on Diao traveling to the Africa Cup of Nations, preferring the player to remain with Como rather than play a secondary role with Senegal, given the abundance of attacking stars in the squad.

Senegal’s attacking line includes high-profile names such as Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, and Ismaïla Sarr, which could limit Diao’s playing time during the tournament.

Assane Diao joined Como in the summer of 2025 from Real Betis. Since his arrival, he has made five appearances in Serie A and one in the Coppa Italia, without registering a goal or an assist so far.

⚽ Follow Pan-Africa Football across platforms for real-time news and stories.