Reports | Chelsea and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy to miss start of AFCON after positive COVID-19 test

With the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) less than a day away from starting, it had many fans and critics alike worried for Senegal. That is especially after the tournament favourites had six players test positive for COVID-19 including Pape Matar Sarr, Nampalys Mendy and second-choice goalkeeper Alfred Gomis. However, Aliou Cisse’s side has now been hit even harder as Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Famara Diedhiou have all tested positive for COVID-19.

This will see Cisse left with a threadbare squad although while Napoli confirmed Kouliably’s positive test, Chelsea have released no statement after Mendy’s reported positive. Sky Sports has reported that Mendy has tested positive alongside striker Diedhiou and thus they will miss Senegal’s first game against Zimbabwe on Monday. However, Cisse is also without Watford’s Ismaila Sarr and Royal Antwerp’s Aboulaye Seck, who are both injured.

However, the bigger concern for Aliou Cisse’s side is fielding a competitive team as Sky Sports has reported that the Senegal head coach is genuinely concerned at the moment. He will be without both first and second-choice goalkeepers although AFCON’s rules are such that as long as a team has 11 players, with or without a goalkeeper, the game will go on. But the tournament favourites are still the bookies favourites to go through although they will have to beat at least two out of Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi to do so.