Boulaye Dia hits back: "I want to set the record straight, the club lied"

From one season to the next, Boulaye Dia has gone from hero to zero in the eyes of Salernitana fans. Arriving on loan in the summer of 2022 to rebuild his career after a difficult campaign at Villarreal, the Senegalese striker scored 16 league goals and helped the newly promoted side stay up in Serie A. The honeymoon was soon over. Signed permanently last summer, and at the centre of a turbulent transfer window that ended without a departure, the former Reims man was first hampered by injuries before being frozen out following an incident with his former coach Fabio Liverani.

"He's someone I can't count on "

The events date back to 2 March at Udinese, where Salernitana were playing away. The coach asked Boulaye Dia to go and warm up in the 80th minute. In the end, he did not come on. The Italian coach's explanation: "He refused to go on the pitch. I've noted it, and so has the club. It's a final decision. I now know he's someone I can't count on. " On Wednesday 17 April, with the affair having ended up in court after a complaint from the Italian club, Boulaye Dia broke his silence. He gave his version of events to L'Equipe. "There has been too much information, too many lies, and I want to set the record straight. I also want to restore my image, as it feels like I'm someone who has problems. But I've never had problems. The club lied," the player stated from the outset.

"I have team-mates ready to testify"

The 2021 African champion accuses his coach of effectively throwing him to the wolves. "In the 80th minute, the coach asked me to go and warm up. I just made a gesture with my head, as I really didn't think I'd be going on because I hadn't warmed up at all beforehand. He saw my gesture and immediately said to me: 'Sit down', and he told another lad to go and warm up. Straight afterwards, we talked about it in the dressing room. He told us it should stay between us. Then he spilled everything at the press conference straight after. But I never refused to go on, I even have witnesses, team-mates, who are ready to testify," says the 27-year-old centre-forward.

Boulaye Dia, who has scored just 4 goals in 17 league games this season, is angry with the club's management, who he says have not played fair. "The club filed a complaint against me. It is demanding twenty million euros in damages as well as a 50% pay cut until the end of the season. All without me playing. And now they want to find a settlement to see me play again. They wanted to make me the scapegoat and now they want mediation," the Senegalese said. Under contract until June 2026, he has not played a match since 24 February.