Nigeria’s Super Eagles could face a weakened Algerian side, as key midfielder Ismaël Bennacer is a major doubt ahead of their quarter-final clash on Saturday, January 10, Soccernet.ng reports.
The stage is set for two of Africa’s heavyweights — Nigeria and Algeria —to lock horns in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Both sides have been among the standout teams in the tournament and will look to lay it all on the line at the Stade de Marrakech.
The Super Eagles won all four of their previous games in the competition, while Algeria have the joint-best defensive record.
Nigeria and Algeria boast some of the best talents on the continent. While the Desert Foxes have stars like Riyad Mahrez, Ibrahim Maza, Ismaël Bennacer, and Rayan Aït-Nouri, the Super Eagles counter with the likes of Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Akor Adams, Calvin Bassey, and Alex Iwobi.
While these stars are expected to feature for their countries on Saturday, Algeria has suffered a significant setback.
This is as key midfielder Bennacer is struggling with a muscle injury after being forced off in the 49th minute of their Round of 16 clash against DR Congo.
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According to the latest update from Algerie Football Media, Bennacer has yet to recover and has not trained with his teammates, with just one session remaining before the showdown against Nigeria.
Bennacer has been following a specialized recovery program, but it remains unlikely that he will be fit in time for the match.
Will Algeria Miss Ismaël Bennacer against Nigeria’s Super Eagles?
Bennacer is one of the most important and experienced players in the Algerian squad. The 28-year-old midfielder has 56 international caps to his name and was part of the team that defeated Nigeria in the semi-finals of the 2019 AFCON.
A fine dribbler with the work rate to cover the entire pitch, Bennacer makes it difficult for opponents to dominate the midfield.
He has been one of the top performers in the tournament; hence, coach Vladimir Petković will definitely miss his services.
In Bennacer’s absence, Twente’s Ramiz Zerrouki is expected to man the defensive midfield position, though he is not exactly an upgrade.
Éric Chelle and his Super Eagles will be hoping to take advantage of the absence of Algeria’s midfield engine at AFCON 2025 in what promises to be an interesting and fiery contest.
