Pathé Ciss is expected to start Senegal’s match against Kenya on Tuesday afternoon in Antalya. The Rayo Vallecano midfielder will benefit from Pape Thiaw’s squad rotation to gain playing time and secure his ninth international start. This is an opportunity for him to prove himself and establish a stronger foothold in the competition for his position.
After every Senegal national team gathering, the same questions arise: who has gained ground, who has lost ground? On Tuesday, after Senegal’s match against the modest Kenyan side at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey (3:00 PM GMT), Pathé Ismaël Ciss will inevitably be part of the discussion. The Rayo Vallecano midfielder only played for a quarter of an hour against Brazil on Saturday but is expected to start against Benedict “Benni” McCarthy’s team. The kind of opportunity to gain experience, on paper, with the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco approaching.
Or rather, to avoid losing ground, in this specific case, in the rotation. It’s almost a done deal: Pape Bouna Thiaw has his starting eleven for the AFCON, provided that all the players he has in mind arrive in good condition. A month before the competition, it’s quite clear that Pathé Ciss isn’t among those vying for a place in the starting lineup of the former Niarry-Tally coach. The 31-year-old seems relegated to a role as a substitute for the Lions. At the same time, he sees other midfielders knocking on the door, such as Mamadou Camara and Rassoul Ndiaye.
Because that’s the crux of Ciss’s predicament. He’s not a guaranteed starter, with Idrissa Gueye, Pape Gueye, and Pape Matar Sarr having a significant head start, to name just a few of the midfielders present during this training camp. Lamine Camara and Habib Diarra also have more options than him. Yet, the former Diambars player is clearly one of the most consistent Senegalese midfielders at club level. “He’s a top-level player, a world-class player, a player for a top-five team in the Spanish league,” the Rayo Vallecano coach recently praised.
A consistent player at club level
“I don’t want to say he isn’t now, but his age means that teams like Real Madrid, Barça, Atlético de Madrid, etc., these top teams, aren’t going to sign him, that’s clear. But having said that, to emphasize Pathé’s importance,” added Iñigo Pérez, a fan of his Senegalese player. In Spain, Pathé Ciss is considered one of the best LaLiga players in his position. Rarely injured, he is also among the few Senegalese players, along with Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye, who have not missed a single national team call-up since joining in September 2022, just before the World Cup in Qatar.
But there remains some ambiguity surrounding his situation with the Lions. At 31, and especially since Pape Thiaw’s arrival, Pathé Ciss has grown impatient on the substitutes’ bench. Barring any surprises, against Kenya, he will get his first start under Thiaw, his ninth overall in his 24th appearance. He will have to seize this opportunity to prove that he perhaps deserves significantly more playing time. A mediocre performance will not at all determine his place in the AFCON squad, but a successful match could put him back in a position commensurate with his stature and qualities in Pape Thiaw’s selections.
wiwsport.com
