Although continental organizations in world football have always been the center of attention for reasons such as competition between countries, political conflicts, and the gathering of many star football players under the same umbrella, the African Cup of Nations has always remained outside of this.
When African countries, which export almost all of their stars to Europe, call up football players to the national team for the Nations Cup held in January-February, the teams competing in Europe’s 5 leading leagues experience a great loss of power for a month.
European clubs and many coaches, who do not want to experience a break in the middle of the season in these leagues where the fight for the championship is the scene of great competition, are reacting to the timing of the Nations Cup.
After repeated criticisms for years, the tournament hosted by Ivory Coast was initially planned to be held in June-July 2023, but the date was changed to January-February to avoid conflict with West Africa’s rainy season.
207 FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE GOING TO THE CUP FROM EUROPE
A total of 207 players from Europe’s 5 biggest football countries, England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, will go to the tournament, where a total of 24 teams will compete in 6 groups.
France is at the top in this field with 88 football players sent to the tournament.
While 49 players from England, 33 from Spain and 19 from Italy were invited to the Africa Cup of Nations, Germany will be the country with the least loss in this regard with 18 players.
SALAH MAKES YOU THINK OF KLOOP
Muhammed Salah, who had one of the best seasons of his career and contributed to more than half of Liverpool’s 43 goals in the league (14 goals, 8 assists), will be the biggest trump card to end the Egyptian National Team’s 14-year championship longing.
Egypt, which lost to Senegal on penalties in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations final and missed the chance to participate in the 2022 World Cup again via penalty shoot-out, will want to win its 8th championship on the continent with the contributions of Salah, who had a very good season.
31-year-old Salah has scored 6 goals so far in the tournament with the Egyptian National Team jersey.
If Egypt reaches the final, Salah will leave Liverpool alone in very critical appointments.
Premier League leader Liverpool, who will face Arsenal and Chelsea one after another during this period, will also have important point fights against Bournemouth, Fulham and Burnley.
Muhammed Elneny, who plays for Arsenal, was another Premier League player invited to the Egyptian National Team.
CAN OSIMHEN TAKE OFF THE PAIN OF 2021?
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who missed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations due to his injury and contracting the new type of coronavirus, will strive to repeat the championship joy that the Nigerian National Team last experienced in 2013.
24-year-old Osimhen, who played a major role in Napoli becoming the Serie A champion after 33 years, also showed his scoring ability in the national team jersey. Osimhen, who played 27 matches with Nigeria, scored the opponent’s net 20 times.
Osimhen, who was Serie A’s top scorer (26) last season, scored 8 goals in the league and UEFA Champions League this season.
Napoli, whose contract was renewed with Osimhen, whom Europe’s leading teams want to add to their squad, will face Salernitana, Lazio, Hellas Verona and Milan in the absence of their star player.
HE PASSED WEST HAM, IT’S GHANA’S TURN
Muhammed Jerusalem, who showed a high-level performance in his first season at West Ham, where he was transferred from Ajax, will be one of the most important names of Ghana, whose last championship in the tournament was in 1982.
The 23-year-old star football player, who scored two goals against South Korea with the national team jersey in the 2022 World Cup, has had a productive period in the national team recently, scoring three goals in the Nations Cup qualifiers.
Jerusalem, who scored 10 goals in 23 matches with West Ham in all competitions this season, will compete in the same group with Salah, his witness from the Premier League.
The London representative will face Sheffield United, Bournemouth, Manchester United and Arsenal in the absence of Jerusalem.
EYES WILL BE ON GUIRASSY
Serhou Guirassy, who scored 15 goals in the first 10 matches this season with Stuttgart, one of the Bundesliga teams, will be the biggest trump card of Guinea, which lost its only final in 1976.
Guirassy, 27, played for Guinea for the first time in March 2022 after playing in France’s youth teams.
Difficult teams such as Cameroon and Senegal, who won the cup 5 times, await Guinea in Group C.
Stuttgart, which is pushing for the top of the Bundesliga and is in third place after Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, will face Mönchengladbach, Bochum, Leipzig, Freiburg and Mainz 05 throughout the tournament.
TOTTENHAM’S MIDFIELD COLLAPSED
Tottenham, which is fighting for the top of the Premier League and has produced entertaining football with Ange Postecoglou, will lose two important names in its midfield due to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Postecoglou sent Yves Bissouma to Mali and Pape Sarr to the Senegal National Team, among the duo he assigned to play in the center of the midfield.
“The capital representative will face Manchester United, Brentford, Everton and Brighton in this period.”
A NEW ERA MAY BEGIN FOR ALTAY
The call of Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana to the Cameroon National Team may open a new page in the career of Altay Bayındır, who left Fenerbahçe for the Manchester team at the beginning of the season.
If Cameroon, aiming for the 6th championship in the cup, reaches the final, Onana will not be able to return to England before February 11.
Manchester United will compete for points with Wolverhampton, West Ham and Aston Villa in the league during this period.