Ahead of the OM-Nice match on Sunday evening, Yéhvann Diouf took a moment to speak with L’Equipe about his season. The Senegalese international has navigated an emotionally charged few months, which included a spell on the bench, with the undeniable peak being the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
“The match was crazy,” admitted the former Reims player. “Like many people, I would have preferred it to unfold differently. With a victory at the end, of course. But just differently overall. Because so many things happened that tarnished the image of the federations, of the AFCON, of the continent. But in the end, what truly matters is that the match was played to its conclusion and that Sénégal won.”
Three months after the Africa Cup of Nations final between Sénégal and Morocco, Yéhvann Diouf shared his experience, particularly regarding the incident that occurred late in the match.
Evidently, Diouf prefers to concentrate on the Teranga Lions’ victory on the field, secured by Pape Gueye’s decisive goal (1-0 a.p.). He avoids discussing the aftermath, which involved CAF’s decision to award the win to Morocco by default—a complex issue now in the hands of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Sénégal-Maroc: an incident that should not have happened
The Nice player had a front-row seat to several incidents, including one that generated significant discussion. This was the “towel affair,” during which Diouf protected a towel from the Moroccan team.
“I only became aware of it when we returned,” the player recounted, “and people kept talking to me about it, thanking me. The only thing I have to say is that if it helped Édouard (Mendy) be in the best possible condition, then that’s great. But it would have been better if it hadn’t happened. Yes, it might seem funny, adding a bit of folklore. But above all, it should never happen; my safety was compromised.”
