The organisers did not respect us – Senegal coach Pape Thiaw after defeat to Brazil

Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has criticised the organisers of Saturday’s friendly against Brazil, accusing them of showing “a lack of respect” in the build-up to the match.

The Lions of Teranga were beaten 2-0 by the five-time world champions at the Emirates Stadium, their first-ever loss to Brazil. But Thiaw insists his frustration stems from what happened before kick-off, not the result.

The 44-year-old revealed that Senegal were denied the chance to train on the match pitch the day before the game, despite being told neither team would use the stadium for their final session. Brazil, however, were later granted access.

“This is a heartfelt outcry, and I’m not saying this because of the defeat,” said the 44-year-old.

“However, I feel the organisers did not respect us. They had announced that, on the eve of the match, neither team would train on the stadium pitch, but Brazil trained on the field, and we did not.

“It’s a lack of respect, and that’s something I really wanted to highlight.”

Reflecting on the game itself, he conceded that Senegal were always chasing after conceding twice early in the opening half.

“When you concede two goals very early in the first half, it is always challenging against that calibre of team.

“In the second half, we returned with a better showing, and I believe we deserved at least one goal in this fixture,” he explained.

Senegal now shift focus to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place next month in Morocco.