Netherlands star Virgil van Dijk mentioned he was unhappy to study that former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane would miss the World Cup as a result of damage, even when it would enhance Dutch hopes. The defender was as a result of come up towards Mane when the Netherlands face Senegal of their opening Group A match on Monday however the Bayern Munich ahead is out of the match after struggling a leg damage taking part in for his membership. “I known as him the following day and clearly I needed to understand how he was,” Van Dijk mentioned at his group’s pre-match press convention in Doha.
“There have been so many rumours popping out. As a good friend I needed to understand how he was. It wasn’t the very best information he has had and sadly he will not have the ability to make this match.”
Van Dijk and Mane performed collectively at Southampton earlier than being reunited at Anfield, profitable the Premier League title and the Champions League collectively underneath Jurgen Klopp.
Mane left Liverpool earlier this yr for a contemporary begin at Bayern.
“I really feel unhappy for him,” Van Dijk added. “I understand how arduous he labored for this and he has been vital for Senegal so he’s going to be an enormous miss for them.
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“However hopefully we will profit slightly from that as effectively.”
Monday’s match on the Al Thumama Stadium within the Qatari capital marks the Netherlands’ return to the World Cup after they did not qualify for the 2018 match in Russia.
Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who’s again in cost after taking the group to 3rd place in 2014, identified that his facet are additionally handicapped by the absence of Memphis Depay.
The Barcelona ahead, 28, who has scored 42 objectives in 81 video games for his nation, together with 12 in qualifying for the Qatar World Cup, has not performed since September.
“That is the match that units the tone for the remainder of the match and Senegal are the African champions so they don’t seem to be simply any previous opponent,” mentioned Van Gaal.
“I believe that Mane is a unprecedented participant. I needed him at Manchester United, when he was nonetheless at Southampton, so I’m a fan of Mane.
“He can break open a match and I might say that Senegal will actually miss him, however the identical applies to us. We are going to actually miss our prime scorer.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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