Sadio Mane’s Senegal are aiming to retain their title and Mohamed Salah is chasing a primary trophy with Egypt at this yr’s Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in Ivory Coast on January 13.
A powerful subject additionally options 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco and a Nigeria crew spearheaded by African footballer of the yr Victor Osimhen, as organisers hope the main target will stay solely on the soccer at this version of the continental showpiece.
Ivory Coast is internet hosting the AFCON for the primary time since 1984, when solely eight groups participated with Roger Milla’s Cameroon rising as champions.
This time there are 24 groups at a event initially scheduled to be performed in June and July final yr so as to keep away from a conflict with Europe’s prime leagues.
Nevertheless, fears over staging it through the wet season finally led the Confederation of African Soccer to push it again to the extra conventional January and February slot.
– Give attention to safety –
The final AFCON, two years in the past in Cameroon, was overshadowed by the tragedy on the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, when eight individuals died in a crush and stampede.
Safety is due to this fact on the forefront of organisers’ ideas this time, with 1.5 million followers anticipated to attend from exterior the nation.
Matches might be staged in six stadiums throughout 5 cities, with two venues within the financial capital, Abidjan.
These embrace the 60,000-capacity Ebimpe Olympic Stadium, constructed particularly for the competitors. It is going to be the venue for the opening recreation between Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau, in addition to the February 11 closing.
Video games may also be performed within the capital Yamoussoukro and neighbouring Bouake, in addition to in San Pedro on the coast and in Korhogo, within the north close to the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.
Organisers may also hope the standard of the soccer is best this time than in 2022, when a mean of fewer than two targets have been scored per recreation.
Morocco might be anticipated to go far, with Africa’s top-ranked nation nonetheless using excessive from their run to the final 4 in Qatar simply over a yr in the past.
They’ve a squad stuffed with gamers based mostly at main European sides, with Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi the headline identify, however Morocco haven’t received the AFCON since 1976.
“With every competitors that goes by we get additional away from the date after we final received it, however that’s not a cause for us to place additional strain on ourselves,” insisted coach Walid Regragui lately.
– Can Senegal retain title? –
Morocco are in Group F with DR Congo, Avram Grant’s Zambia and Tanzania, who’ve by no means received a recreation on the AFCON.
Senegal are in a tougher-looking part with neighbours Gambia, the Guinea of Bundesliga hotshot Serhou Guirassy, and Cameroon.
Mane and his crew are aiming to grow to be the primary nation to retain the title since Egypt’s run of three in a row between 2006 and 2010.
“We have now solely ever received it as soon as, so we’re wanting to go there and win, and maintain successful,” insisted Senegal coach Aliou Cisse.
Winners in 2019, Algeria are aiming to make up for his or her woeful exhibiting two years in the past, once they exited within the group stage.
Egypt, led by Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria, boast the most important star of all in Salah as they aim a record-extending eighth AFCON title to banish the reminiscence of defeats within the finals of 2017 and 2022.
That’s what Egyptians are dreaming of, though Salah’s supervisor at Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, is hoping for a special consequence on condition that his crew are at present chasing the Premier League title.
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“From a private viewpoint, I might be comfortable in the event that they exit within the group stage however that is in all probability not potential. They will go on and win it,” Klopp admitted.
Then there may be the host nation, not the pressure they have been once they final received the title in 2015 with Yaya Toure as captain, however trying to take advantage of residence benefit.
Nigeria, with Bayer Leverkusen sensation Victor Boniface in addition to Osimhen, have an virtually unrivalled quantity of depth in assault.
South Africa, in the meantime, are again after lacking the final version, and have a crew that leans closely on the nation’s main membership aspect, Mamelodi Sundowns.
The winners of the trophy will obtain a file $7 million in prize cash, 40 p.c greater than what champions Senegal pocketed in 2022.
