Ex-Fifa official: ‘Liverpool will be asking questions’ after Sadio Mane controversy
Liverpool will be “asking questions” after Sadio Mane started Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final with Equatorial Guinea just days after being taken to hospital with a head injury.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about Senegal’s “surprising” decision to let Mane play the full 90 minutes as they reached the semi-finals yesterday (30 January).
The Liverpool winger was knocked out during his side’s clash with Cape Verde on Tuesday (25 January) in the round of 16.
He was allowed to play on in that game before being taken off 10 minutes later to go to hospital as he suffered from dizziness.
“I thought that was surprising,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“It seems to me the IFAB, the lawmakers, are still trying to develop a concussion criteria that applies around the world. We’re in an experimental process.
“But my knowledge of that it usually takes 14 days before you can come back, before that they should be calm and not do too much physical exercise.
“It has to be an area of concern. I have no doubt that the Liverpool medical team, who are top drawer, will be asking questions about their player.
“For me, I think it was too soon to come back and play.
“Mane, as an individual, has just donated £450,000 for a hospital to the village where he’s from. It’s a side of a player that we don’t see, it’s an exceptional thing he’s done.”
Mane and Senegal will face Burkina Faso in the semi-finals on Wednesday (2 February).
His Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah and Egypt face Cameroon the following day and they could meet in the final.
In other news, a finance guru has revealed Liverpool are in a position to ‘make millions’ after a sponsor ‘crisis’ is averted.