Netherlands star Virgil van Dijk is saddened to learn that former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane would miss the World Cup due to injury, despite this being a definite boost to Dutch hopes in their oncoming match.
The stalwart Dutch defender was due to face his former Reds compatriot Mane when the Netherlands face Senegal in their opening Group A match on Monday but the Bayern Munich forward is out of the tournament after having sustained a leg injury playing for his club.
“I called him the next day and obviously I wanted to know how he was,” Van Dijk said at his team’s pre-match press conference in Doha.
“There were so many rumors coming out. As a friend I wanted to know how he was. It wasn’t the best news he has had and unfortunately he won’t be able to make this tournament.”
The Dutchman and the Senegalese had been playing together since their early tenures at Southampton before being reunited at Anfield, winning the Premier League title and the Champions League together under Jurgen Klopp.
Mane left Liverpool earlier this year for a fresh start to rejuvenate his career at Bayern, not that he didn’t up the ante at the Merseyside club.
“I feel sad for him,” Van Dijk added. “I know how hard he worked for this and he has been important for Senegal so he is going to be a big miss for them.
“But hopefully we can benefit a little from that as well.”
Having failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia, Monday’s match at the Al Thumama Stadium in the Qatari capital marks the Netherlands’ return to the World Cup.
Former Manchester United coach Louis van Gaal, who is back in charge after taking the Netherlands team to third place in 2014, also made a reference to Mane while also pointing out that his side are equally handicapped by the absence of striker Memphis Depay.
The 28-year-old Barcelona forward, who has scored 42 goals in 81 games for his country, including 12 in qualifying for the Qatar World Cup, has not seen action since September.
“This is the match that sets the tone for the rest of the tournament and Senegal are the African champions so they are not just any old opponent,” said Van Gaal.
“I think that Mane is an extraordinary player. I wanted him at Manchester United, when he was still at Southampton, so I am a fan of Mane.
“He can break open a match and I would say that Senegal will really miss him, but the same applies to us. We will really miss our top scorer.”