Mane Surfaces as Surprise Exclusion: Al Nassr Pulls Sadio Mane from UAE Camp Ahead of AFCON

Mane Excluded From UAE Camp

Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus of Al Nassr decided to drop Senegal's Sadio Mane from the squad heading to the UAE for a training camp in Abu Dhabi, giving him time to rest ahead of a busy AFCON schedule.

According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadhia, Al Nassr decided to exclude Mane from the departure list to Abu Dhabi camp, to give him a rest before linking up with his national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, set to kick off in Morocco between December 21, 2025 and January 18, 2026, as part of a broader plan to protect him ahead of intense AFCON duties.

Although Mane was added to Senegal's squad on December 15, the capital club opted not to include him in the UAE camp roster, which runs from December 7 to 11, to spare him before he links up with his national team's training. The decision was taken despite his fitness status being unclear.

AFCON and Domestic Fixtures on the Horizon

Should Mane participate in the Africa Cup of Nations, he could miss nine Al Nassr matches, including the Riyadh derby with arch-rivals Al Hilal on January 12, the Clasico with Al Ahli on January 2, between them the match against Al Qadsia on January 8 and Al Shabab on January 16.

Beyond Al Ahli, Al Qadsia, Al Hilal and Al Shabab, the Al Nassr side will play during AFCON in the Saudi league against Al Najma, Al Akhdood, Al Ettifaq and Damac, and also face Al Zawraa of Iraq in the AFC Champions League Elite.

Sadio Mane, aged 33, joined Al Nassr in the summer of 2023 from Bayern Munich; since then he has appeared 110 times in all competitions for the club, scoring 43 goals and providing 31 assists.

Punchline 1: Mane’s absence from the UAE camp is not a retreat; it’s a tactical time-out—rest now, goals later. Punchline 2: If rest were goals, he’d be top scorer by a landslide.