Salernitana’s Boulaye Dia refuses to come on during Udinese draw

Serie A saw Salernitana take on Udinese yesterday and it was expected to be an important game for the relegation zone, but it was Boulaye Dia’s situation that caught attention of many after the game.

The sides could only manage a point from the game but after the game, Salernitana boss Fabio Liverani spoke about Dia and revealed that the ex-Villarreal man refused to come on towards the end of the game. He went on to tell DAZN (via La Gazzetta dello Sport) that Dia is a player that he can no longer count on and it is a problem for his teammates.

“Dia didn’t want to come on at the end, the club and I will take note of it. There were 7-8 minutes left, it’s a definitive choice. It’s a problem for my teammates, not for me. He’s a player I can’t count on. I agreed to come here because I live football with great passion. I still believe in survival, as do my players.”

Dia’s stint at Salernitana this season has been fraught with controversy. Towards the end of the summer transfer window, his agent had spoken to Wolves without informming Salernitana, who later fined him and kept him away from training and Morgan de Sanctis publicly spoke about the incident.

The Senegal international also left Italy and returned to the club late after his suspension, causing further controversy and has also suffered injury issues.

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN