CAN 2021: how far will the list of players withdrawn or absent in Cameroon go?
Senegalese Krépin Diatta, injured with Monaco, should miss CAN 2021. © REUTERS / Eric Gaillard
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
2 min
Ivorian Gervinho, Nigerian Victor Osimhen and Senegalese Krépin Diatta have been added to the list of injured players who should miss the next African Cup of Nations (CAN 2021), scheduled from January 9 to February 6, 2022 in Cameroon.
CAN 2021 from which players could also try to escape under pressure from their club.
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Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool coach, is at the heart of a mini-controversy over the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2021) in recent days.
The German spoke with irony "
a small tournament in Africa
" about the CAN 2021 scheduled from January 9 to February 6, 2022 in Cameroon.
The coach of the Reds indeed mocked the remark of a journalist at a press conference.
The latter indicated that there would be no international break for the Reds before March 2022. To which Klopp replied: “
In January, there is a small tournament in Africa.
And I think Asia also plays matches.
South America too?
Great, I can't wait.
"
Players who want to ignore the CAN?
It did not take less to ignite the powder, while the CAN approaches and the tension mounts concerning the provision of African internationals. Usually reluctant to see their players leave for this competition, European clubs may indeed be even more so in 2022. Because, for the first time, a final phase organized in January / February will last longer: four weeks , against three between 1996 and 2017, when the CAN was played with 16 countries (against 24 for that of June / July 2019). A situation that is all the more difficult for some clubs to tolerate as they will again see certain elements then leave for Qatar in December 2022 for the World Cup.
Last October, Nice striker Andy Delort, for example, admitted wanting to take a break with the Algerian team.
The 2019 African champion officially prefers to focus on his French club than to defend the Fennecs title in Cameroon.
The Niçois should not be an isolated case.
Even if other players, and not the least, are quite simply at odds with their coach, like the Moroccan Hakim Ziyech or the Ivorian Wilfried Zaha.
They could also miss the CAN 2021.
A list of wounded who grow longer
Some will, however, unfortunately for them, no choice.
The Ivorian Gervinho, the Nigerian Victor Osimhen and the Senegalese Krépin Diatta, operated after a serious injury, should miss the call, like the Burkinabè Lacina Traoré, or even the Moroccan Youssef En-Nesyri.
Ghana, for example, do not know if they can count on defender Nicholas Opoku and midfielder Mohammed Kudus, also injured.
The list of absences - voluntary or forced - at the next African Cup of Nations should continue to grow over the next six weeks.
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