AFCON 2023: List of player injuries & doubts ahead of tournament

Ivory Coast will host AFCON 2023

The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will begin on 13 January 2024. Ivory Coast will host AFCON 2023 and 24 nations will fight to lift the continental title.

However, there are a few injury issues and doubts in some of the camps ahead of the tournament.

Senegal are preparing to put their title on the line once again, to retain their status as African champions in Côte d’Ivoire. To achieve this, Lions coach Aliou Cissé is hoping to count on all his key players. While the list of players selected for the AFCON 2023 is expected this Friday, December 29, some players are already uncertain. 

Youssouf Sabaly went off injured in the 62nd minute against Algeria in a friendly last September. The right-back recovered and returned to action in November, and was on the scoresheet for Real Bétis’ 2-0 win over Mallorca. But a few days later in training, Sabaly re-injured himself with a grade 2 sprain of the right knee’s medial collateral ligament. Since then, no more games. An important member of the Lions’ rearguard, his return is eagerly awaited by the Lions’ technical staff, with a crying shortage of players in the right-back position.

Seyni Dieng, number 3 in the goalkeeping hierarchy, is also injured, Senegal fans are worried about the condition of Boulaye Dia. The Senegalese striker is suffering from a muscle ache which forced him to leave the pitch in the 48th minute of Salernitana – AC Milan.

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Nampalys Mendy and Idrissa Gana Guèye are also seeing the doctor. The midfielder with 106 caps for France felt some pain that forced him to leave his team-mates against Tottenham. As for Nampalys Mendy, who was injured against Sevilla on the 6th and last day of the Champions League two weeks ago, the RC Lens player is currently undergoing training with a physiotherapist to be ready for the AFCON 2023.

Ghana could lose an attacking element for good at this year’s African Cup of Nations. If Southampton coach Russel Martin is to be believed, Kamaldeen Sulemana may not make it to the competition. Suffering from a hamstring problem, the Black Stars winger is not expected to recover until the end of January or early February at the latest.

He could join Tariq Lamptey on the list of players missing from the tournament in Côte d’Ivoire. The right-back has been plagued by injuries and has not played since the match against OM, when he went off injured on November 25.

Naby Keïta is struggling to make a comeback due to his physical fragility. With only 3 games played this season for Werder Bremen, the Guinean midfielder is not sure he will take part in this campaign in the eyes of the German club’s coach.

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