Pape Bouna Thiaw believes there is no question that Senegal are AFCON champions

[p]In ‌a first comment since the Confederation of African Football’s Appeal Board awarded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]‌Morocco[/a] the Africa Cup of Nations title after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] staged ‌a 14-minute walk off during [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/morocco-IDKYO3R8/senegal-hOIsJLJr/?mid=0KhPZfnQ"]January’s final in Rabat[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gueye-pape/p6rsDQvN/"]Thiaw[/a] told ‌reporters: [b]“We know we're African champions.”[/b][/p][p]Senegal are in Paris to ‌play a World Cup warm-up friendly against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/peru/Uend67D3/"]Peru[/a] at the Stade de France and in Friday’s pre-match press conference, Thiaw said he wanted his ‌side to keep focus on football and ⁠avoid the controversy surrounding the ‌decision by African football’s governing body.[/p][p]Senegal this week lodged an appeal ​with the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.[/p][p][b]“The most important thing is not to get distracted,” [/b]added Thiaw, ​who was at the heart of the controversial walk off and heavily punished for his actions.[/p][embed guid="628785e7-c3fb-4c75-96bd-8518f46602bf" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2036835221178286398" social-type="twitter" /][p]He will be allowed to take ⁠Senegal to the ​World Cup in June and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/peru-Uend67D3/senegal-hOIsJLJr/?mid=2RM8s5se"]Saturday’s warm-up game[/a] is followed by another friendly against neighbours [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/gambia/hADVg0uE/"]Gambia[/a] in Dakar on Tuesday.[/p][p][b]“We know we're African champions. We're going to keep working to win more ‌trophies. It's clear in our minds that competitions and trophies are won on the pitch. We've done that; we're African champions,” [/b]Thiaw told reporters.[/p][p]Senegal's most capped international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gueye-idrissa/f12b2WQA/"]Idrissa Gueye[/a] also stressed Senegal’s success on the field.[/p][p][b]"As players, nothing can replace the intense emotions we experienced,"[/b] he said. [b]"In the last four Cup of Nations tournaments, Senegal has reached three finals and won two African championship titles. We didn't steal this result. It's the ‌work of an entire country that gives its all. We ​deserve to be African champions on the field."[/b][/p][p]The coach ‌and Gueye sat in front of a backdrop displaying the words "Champions of Africa". There is an expectation Senegal might show off the Cup of Nations trophy to their supporters at the Stade de France ahead of the game, potentially ⁠heightening tensions with Morocco ⁠over their protest and the ‌Appeal Board's decision.[/p]