England have been handed a potential boost in their quest to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
That’s according to a recent report by the Daily Mail, which explains how Senegal manager Aliou Cisse failed to show up to Saturday’s pre-match press conference, reportedly due to illness and is now a doubt for the African’s Last 16 knockout game.
Senegal will play Gareth Southgate’s England at the Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday evening with the winner set to play either France or Poland in the tournament’s next round.
However, despite the two nations never playing one another in a competitive international match before, Cisse could miss out.
“He has been sick for a couple of days now,” said assistant coach Regis Bogaert, who filled in for Cisse at the press conference.
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“He let us take charge of training yesterday, obviously with his instructions to the players.
“Hopefully tomorrow he will be able to come and be on the bench with the players but we are sure at 10pm he will be there with the team.
“I can confirm he is sick and has a bit of a temperature, that is why we have to be careful with his situation.”
Fans, including those of England, will be hoping Cisse feels better in time to be in his country’s dugout. Not only is the occasion a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but England will not want their opponents to have any excuses should the Three Lions go on to claim victory.
Sunday’s game, which is set to kick off at 7 p.m (UK time), will be broadcast live on ITV.