Footballers heading to next month’s Africa Cup of Nations finals will be allowed to play for their clubs until January 3, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said yesterday.
Many were set to miss matches because of the rule that dictates clubs must release players 14 days before a continental championship or the World Cup.
But CAF has agreed to allow players whose clubs have matches between December 27 and January 3 to play them before joining up with their national squads for the Cup of Nations finals, which kick off in Cameroon on January 9.
That will come as a relief to English clubs who had been due to lose their African players by the official release date of December 27, although some had made individual arrangements for players to stay with them for as long as possible before the start of the tournament.
“This decision is taken in the spirit of goodwill and solidarity with the affected clubs in recognition of the fact that they, like all members of the football community, have been adversely affected by the onset of the Covid pandemic,” said a FIFA letter sent on Sunday to the World Leagues Forum and the European Leagues grouping.
Both organisations have been critical of the timing of the Cup of Nations in the middle of the club season in Europe, where the majority of players involved the tournament play their club football. But FIFA said that CAF had decided to offer relief to clubs.
“It is also assumed that a spirit of mutual cooperation remains between CAF and all relevant stakeholders in this regard, including related to the release of players and the provision of sporting exemptions to travel and quarantine restrictions if required in the future,” added the letter from FIFA deputy general secretary Mattias Grafstrom.
The timing of the Cup of Nations finals has long been a bone of contention for club managers, and future tournaments are scheduled to played in mid-year.
Guinea suffer two withdraws
Guinea defenders Antoine Conte and Florentin Pogba withdrew from the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations finals yesterday after citing injury, a statement said.
Conte, a former France Under-21 international who has switched allegiance, said he had not yet recovered from injury after recently joining Romanian club Universitatea Craiova.
Pogba suffered both a knee injury and a tendon pull in action for French club Sochaux earlier this month. A scan confirmed he would be out until at least the end of January, the Guinea football federation said.
Pogba, 30, is the elder brother of French World Cup winner Paul Pogba.
Coach Kaba Diawara has called up two home-based players as replacements: Fode Camara from Horoya and Gaoussou Yousouf Siby from Wakrya
Squad
Goalkeepers: Moussa Camara (Horoya), Aly Keita (Ostersund), Ibrahima Kone (Hibernians)
Defenders: Fode Camara (Horoya), Mohamed Ali Camara (Young Boys), Ibrahima Conte (Niort), Mikael Dyrestam (Sarpsborg), Ousmane Kante (Paris FC), Pa Konate (Botev Plovdiv), Gaoussou Yousouf Siby (Wakrya), Saidou Sow (St Etienne), Issiaga Sylla (Toulouse, France)
Midfielders: Aguibou Camara (Olympiakos), Ibrahima Cisse (Seraing), Ibrahima Sory Conte (Bnei Sakhnin), Amadou Diawara (Roma), Mamadou Kane (Neftci), Naby Keita (Liverpool), Mory Konate (St Truiden), Ilaix Moriba (RB Leipzig), Morlaye Sylla (Horoya)
Forwards: Mohamed Bayo (Clermont), Mamadou Diallo (Grenoble), Morgan Guilavogui (Paris FC), Sory Kaba (OH Leuven), Jose Kante (Kairat), Seydouba Soumah (Kuwait SC).
Bissouma back for Mali after three-year standoff
Brighton’s Yves Bissouma has agreed to turn out for Mali at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon, ending an impasse over his failure to respond to call-ups over the last three years, his country’s football federation said on Saturday. He was named in a 28-man squad for the tournament, ending a standoff with coach Mohamed Magassouba.
Bissouma had previously accused Magassouba of making him look bad by repeatedly naming him in Mali squads despite the fact he was recovering from shoulder surgery, thus leaving an impression he no longer wanted to play for his homeland.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Djigui Diarra (Young Africans), Ismael Diawara (Malmo), Ibrahima Mounkoro (TP Mazembe)Defenders: Senou Coulibaly (Dijon), Mamadou Fofana (Amiens), Massadio Haidara (Racing Lens), Boubacar Kiki Kouyate (Metz), Falaye Sacko (Vitoria Guimaraes), Issiaka Samake (Horoya), Moussa Sissako (Standard Liege), Charles Traore (Nantes), Hamari Traore (Stade Rennes)
Midfielders: Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion), Mohamed Camara (Salzburg), Lassana Coulibaly (Salernitana), Aliou Dieng (Al Ahly), Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig), Romenigue Kouame (Troyes), Diadie Samassekou (Hoffenheim), Adama ‘Noss’ Traore (Hatayspor), Hamidou Traore (Giresunspor)
Forwards: Kalifa Coulibaly (Nantes), Moussa Doumbia (Stade Reims), Moussa Djenepo (Southampton), Ibrahima Kone (Sarpsborg), Lassine Sinayoko (AJ Auxerre), Adama “Malouda” Traore (Sheriff Tiraspol), El Bilal Toure (Stade Reims).
