Sadio Mane is predicting a tough outing at the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) starting in Ivory Coast on Saturday, 13 January 2024.According to the Senegal skipper, the caliber of teams heading to the 34th edition of the biennial tournament is high, and will make competition tough.AFCON2023: Andre Ayew eyes history with 8th tournament appearance, aims to surpass Rigobert Song’s recordNonetheless, the Al Nassr winger is promising a good fight from the Teranga Lions who are the defending champions.“This AFCON will be one of the strongest since I started playing it because all the big nations are here, and they have their targets, but we’ll see what happens,” the 31-year-old told CAF website.”We know it won’t be easy, but we’ll try our best to go through every round,” he assured.Senegal beat Egypt on penalties to win their first AFCON crown during the Cameroon 2019 edition.Senegal’s Sadio Mané and Mendy prepare for #AFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/zxvNM0nx5w— Eric Njiru (@EricNjiiru) January 3, 2024 The former Liverpool player scored the final penalty kick as the West African nation broke the jinx and won their first AFCON trophy after failing twice at the final hurdle.Some notable names missed the Cameroon showpiece, including two-time champions and the 2023 hosts Ivory Coast and one-time champions Zambia.Senegal are in Group C alongside Cameroon, The Gambia, and Guinea. Their opener will be against The Gambia in a much anticipated Senegambia derby on Monday, 15 January 2024.##NAJAVA_MECA_7775992##Mane is relishing another bite at the cherry. “Firstly, winning the AFCON was the best trophy I have ever won in my life, and coming to do it again will be special and a big achievement. It’s been a dream to play in this competition since I was a kid and we will do our best. Winning the AFCON will have a big impact on our football because we have won all the other categories which is great for the country,” concluded Mane.
