By James Copnall in Marseille BBC Sport Online

Liverpool striker El-Hadji Diouf has failed to join up with the Senegal squad which is due to fly to Lesotho for a Nations Cup qualifier.

While the rest of the team sweated through new coach Abdoulaye Sarr's inaugural training session in the southern France city of Marseille, the Liverpool star was catching a flight to Senegal.

Diouf now seems to have carried out his threat.

Furthermore, Diouf's Liverpool team mate Salif Diao has also not travelled with the team.

However, it is the loss of the 2001 African player of the year that is the biggest blow to his Senegal colleagues.

"He is my best friend, but I am very disappointed," Khalilou Fadiga told BBC Sport Online.

"I am very angry with him."

Fadiga's sentiments are shared by the majority of the Lions, who feel let down by a man who has always sworn that his first loyalty is to his country.

There is always a possibility that Diouf could still fly to Lesotho from Dakar, but he would face a less than warm welcome from his national team colleagues if he did so.

Diouf could also run into trouble with Liverpool because this weekend was set aside for international fixtures and not time off.

Diouf's absence presents a stiff challenge to Sarr in his first outing as Senegal coach, but Metsu's former assistant is putting on a brave face to hide his disappointment.

"A team is more that just one player," Sarr said.

"But for sure we will miss a player as good as El Hadj."

Abdoulaye Diagne Faye of Lens and Souleymane Camara of Monaco have been called up to replace Diao and Diouf.

But Sarr and Senegal will see just how big a loss Diouf is when they play Lesotho on Sunday.