Cisse on Egypt game incidents: The fans were standing behind our team

qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after defeating

3-1 on penalties. 

The Egyptian team bus was delayed and assaulted prior to the game, prompting the EFA to demand that the game be postponed by 30 minutes. 

Furthermore, the players were pelted with bottles throughout the game, with the EFA alleging that the squad was subjected to racism as a result of insulting placards in the Senegalese stands directed at captain Mohamed Salah.

Cisse, on the other hand, says that none of the aforementioned allegations are accurate and that they are quite welcoming in comparison to other African nations. 

“For me, there is no controversy. I heard that there were those who said that our fans behaved in an improper manner, just because we asked them to stand behind our team,” Cisse told 

.

“Racists? Us? That’s too far. Our culture is not racist, nor is our past.

“Who started? I have been coaching Senegal for seven years, and I can’t tell you a quarter of what we’ve been through during our trips inside the continent

.

“I’m not the kind of person who weeps, but you have to see how we’re received. In some countries we can’t enter the dressing rooms and have to wait in the parking lot. You can blame Senegal for anything but not the lack of hospitality,” he added.

Cisse was then questioned on the role of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) under these circumstances, as well as what he believes is impeding African football growth.

“CAF doesn’t act at all. In fact, sometimes we are completely alone, so are the referees. Some countries can create organizational problems for us if they want to, so now we take the initiative to avoid bad surprises. We send a delegation to check these things before the games, such as the rooms, the pitch and the distance between it and the hotel,” he continued.

“I would say it’s the refereeing. It’s a scandal in Africa. It’s something we don’t know how to manage, even those who are considered good referees disappoint.

“I loved it and it didn’t bother me,” said Cisse, who was impressed by the appointment of South American referees in the last AFCON. “When we speak about refereeing mistakes, they ask us to stop crying, but as long as we don’t solve this problem, the level of the game will remain the same.

“Djamel Belmadi [Algeria coach] always talks about it, and I understand it because I have lived the same conditions as the rest of the coaches.

“This problem affects the level of our game. Our style of play relies on high pressing, and our opponents know that, so they try to stop us by constantly fouling us, but the referees don’t stop them and that prevents the development of our game.

“At the world cup you will see something different, because the referees will be different.

“When speaking about competency, there are referees who don’t know the difference between man marking and zone defense. The referee can make a mistake in our favor during a match, and then be against us in the next game.

“They tell me I shouldn’t speak out of fear that the referees will be biased against Senegal, but who will speak in that case? I don’t want to disrespect anyone, I’m African and I want my country to keep improving, so they have to listen to us,” he concluded.

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