Impending knee surgery has ruled Mali striker Cheick Tidiane Diabate out of the African Nations Cup and for the next four months, his French club Girondins Bordeaux said.
Diabate, who helped Mali to third-place finishes at the last two Nations Cups, made the decision to undergo surgery after consultation with doctors who felt an operation “was essential to the success of the rest of his career”, a club statement said.
Diabate is the top scorer for Bordeaux this season despite playing irregularly because of ongoing pain in the knee.
Mali are in Group D with Cameroon, Guinea and the Ivory Coast.
Full Mali squad for Afcon 2015:
Goalkeepers: Soumaïla Diakite (Esteghlal Khuzestan, Iran), Germain Berthe (Eleven Creators), N’Tji Michel Samake (CS Duguwolofila Mali)
Defenders: Drissa Diakite (Bastia, France), Fousseyni Diawara (Tours, France), Molla Wague (Udinese, Italy), Ousmane Coulibaly (Platanias, Greece), Adama Tamboura (Randers, Denmark), Idrissa Coulibaly (Hassania Agadir, Morocco), Salif Coulibaly (TP Mazembe, DR Congo), Mohamed Konate (Renaissance Berkane, Morocco)
Midfielders: Seydou Keita (Roma, Italy), Tongo Hamed Doumbia (Toulouse, France), Yacouba Sylla (Erciyesspor, Turkey), Mamoutou N’Diaye (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Abdou Traore (Bordeaux, France), Sigamary Diarra (Valenciennes, France)
Forwards: Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Mustapha Yatabare (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Sambou Yattabare (Guingamp, France), Abdoulaye Diaby (Mouscron, Belgium), Modibo Maiga (Metz, France)
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