AFCON 2023: Habib Diallo sacrificed again by Cissé?
Habib Diallo sacrificed again by Cissé? The Al Shabab striker is well short of his best just days before the AFCON
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Ronaldo was heavily trolled over his goals early in his Saudi adventure. "He scores against bakers in a league of farmers" or "it's an imams' league" was what people said after his four-goal haul against Al Wehda last February. But like his great rival Lionel Messi, time always proves this legendary duo right.
Habib Diallo, 1 goal in 18 games this season
Summer has indeed arrived, and a contingent of stars from Europe has joined the Saudi Pro League. Among them is Karim Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner who dominated the Champions League over the past two years. He is struggling and labouring, as he did in his early days in a Real Madrid shirt. The reality on the pitch is that, among the new arrivals in the Saudi Pro League, with the exception of Mitrovic, nobody sets the scoring charts alight like Ronaldo. Not even Habib Diallo, who arrived in his prime at 28 and was coming off a stellar season with Strasbourg in a very tight French Ligue 1 (20 goals). The Senegalese striker is struggling in Saudi Arabia. The former Metz man has scored just one goal in 18 games for Al Shabab. And as he does not have Karim Benzema's untouchable status, he has lost his place in the starting line-up at the Saudi club.
Competition from Sima and Bamba Dieng
That could also cost him his place in the national team. He has never really been Aliou Cissé's go-to man, even when he was in form. A 2021 African champion, admittedly, Habib Diallo (4 goals in 18 caps) was only fourth choice in the striker pecking order, behind Boulaye Dia, Famara Diédhiou and Bamba Dieng. And the Senegal coach did not hesitate to cut him when it came to boarding the plane for Qatar 2022.
Will he leave him behind again? Not certain, though. With Boulaye Dia unavailable for at least four weeks, Cissé, who will almost certainly name 27 players, could start the tournament with Habib Diallo leading the line while waiting to see how the Salernitana striker's injury progresses. Abdallah Sima, reinvigorated since signing for Glasgow Rangers (14 goals in 31 games), is also well placed to complete the Lions' attack. The same cannot be said of Bamba Dieng, a 2021 African champion whose revival at Lorient has come rather late. The Senegal coach announces his squad this Friday, 29 December.
Yacine DIENG