Sunderland's £30m midfielder believes Senegal were justified in walking off the pitch
Habib Diarra of Sunderland
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Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra has opened up on his controversial African Cup of Nations experience after being part of the Senegal side that incredibly walked off the pitch in the final.
Diarra was suspended for the final when, as the goalless game against Morocco entered injury time, Senegal were denied a late winner by VAR only for the referee to then award their opponents a controversial penalty minutes later.
In sensational, unprecedented scenes, Senegal manager Pape Thiaw furiously ordered his players to walk off in protest before the spot-kick could be taken. They were eventually persuaded to return from the changing room by captain Sadio Mane and incredibly, Morocco's Brahim Diaz saw his awful Panenka penalty saved before Pape Gueye's wonder strike secured victory for Senegal in extra-time.
The damage had been done in the eyes of many watchers, with Senegal's actions bringing shame on African football and the game in general. Diarra, however, saw it differently and defended Thiaw and his teammates.
"I understood it," says Diarra about his manager's actions. "You can't single out the coach.
"I think he did that because he saw how we fought during the tournament. He saw the sacrifices we made to get here. He's like a father for us. He wanted to protect us.
"What happened was a collective decision. You can't single out certain players or certain people. What I saw is that we were all united. If someone makes a decision, everyone follows.
Senegal and Morocco players as the AFCON final descended into chaos
Senegal and Morocco players as the AFCON final descended into chaos(Image: beIN Sports)
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"I don't pay much attention to that - I don't think the Senegal players do either," adeed Diarra about the criticism that came their way.
"The people who criticise us are part of football. We will always be criticised, on the pitch, every weekend. It's part of our job. The most important thing is to win the trophy."
The 22-year-old's return from the tournament has come at a good time for Sunderland, who are without inspirational captain Granit Xhaka for a month through injury. Diarra, who was named skipper of Strasbourg by Liam Rosenior despite his tender years, believes he can provide the Black Cats with much-needed leadership.
And despite achieving so much already in his fledgling career, including becoming African champion, he feels there is more to come - including setting his sights on emulating two Premier League legends.
"Of course, at 22, it's good to have all that," Diarra told Sky Sports. "But it's just the beginning. I am someone who is hungry. I always want to improve.
"I want to be among the best midfielders in the world. I take Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kanté as an example. I am always inspired by players like them. They're in the same ball park as me.
"In the coming years, I want to make a name for myself in the Premier League. I want to be part of the top players. I want to win the Champions League. It's a goal for everyone. I also want to win the World Cup. That's the dream."