CAPE TOWN: African countries were left scrambling to change their preparation plans after a surprise FIFA decision to cut down the time players must be released to their national teams ahead of this month’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
With less than three weeks to the tournament in Morocco, which runs from December 21 to January 18, soccer’s world governing body announced on Wednesday that clubs need only release players from December 15 instead of a fortnight before the start of a continental championship, as is the FIFA regulation.
Senegal have canceled their planned training camp in Tunisia, sources said, while Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and defending champions Ivory Coast are having to rethink plans for preparations in Portugal and Spain.
“What’s frustrating and exhausting is that since the last international window, we’ve been finalizing the preparations,” said Angola’s French coach Patrice Beaumelle.
“We wanted to start the camp on December 8 in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. I’ve been traveling to the site for a month and a half now. We’ve prepared everything, worked on the content of the training sessions, the venues for the friendly matches. Now everything is at risk.
“We have to be in Morocco on the 18th to play on the 22nd. So we can no longer call it a training camp,” he added.
Several planned friendly internationals to warm up for the tournament also face being canceled.
“We initially wanted to play two friendly matches, on December 14 and 18, but we should only play one, against an opponent yet to be determined,” said Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma.
The majority of the 24 countries competing at the Cup of Nations finals draw their players from clubs in Europe, who would ordinarily have had to release them after this weekend.
FIFA said the shortened release period, the same approach used for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, was agreed after consultations with the Confederation of African Football and other stakeholders to “reduce the impact on various parties”, without elaborating.
Mali coach Tom Saintfiet, however, said it showed a lack of respect for African football and that European clubs were given a higher priority by FIFA.
The late notification was also criticized by the coaches, given the dates for the Cup of Nations finals were announced in June last year, giving FIFA ample time to make its ruling.
FIFA ruling on players’ release date upsets Cup of Nations preparations
https://arab.news/5vscx
FIFA ruling on players’ release date upsets Cup of Nations preparations
- Senegal have canceled their planned training camp in Tunisia, sources said
- Several planned friendly internationals to warm up for the tournament also face being canceled
Mbappe double at Villarreal takes Real Madrid top of La Liga
VILA-REAL, Spain Kylian Mbappe netted twice to earn Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Saturday and take his side to the top of La Liga.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s team moved two points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona, who host bottom-of-the-table Real Oviedo on Sunday.
La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe reached 21 goals for the season in the competition to help Madrid see off a spirited Villarreal side, who are now fourth.
Arbeloa’s side have won three consecutive matches across all competitions and victory at Villarreal could be a vital step in the revival of their season.
After the shock Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Albacete in Arbeloa’s first match at the helm just 10 days ago after replacing Xabi Alonso, his Madrid have started to take shape.
The coach has made clear how important his star players are and none has been more crucial this season than French superstar Mbappe, who has netted 34 times across all competitions.
Mbappe and Vinicius Junior “are the best players in the world, they are players who can really unbalance teams, we try to get the ball to them as much as possible,” Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV.
“They’re two players who... I’m really happy to have in this state of form and above all, because of the great work they are doing.
“They are really committed to the team, they are the first who are pressing... they’re giving this effort and solidarity that we need from them, so I’m very happy that their reward comes in the form of goals.”
It was a lively but imprecise start at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica, as the game glowed but neither side was able to seriously threaten.
Georges Mikautadze lashed a volley narrowly wide after veteran forward Gerard Moreno found him with a floating cross.
At the other end, Madrid midfielder Arda Guler fired straight at Villarreal stopper Luiz Junior after some tidy footwork, and then shot high over the bar at the end of a swift break.
Villarreal’s Juan Foyth limped off hurt in a blow for the hosts, who created a good chance for Pape Gueye just before the break.
The Senegal midfielder, a champion at the Africa Cup of Nations last weekend, powered narrowly wide of the post.
Vinicius, who excelled in Madrid’s 6-1 Champions League rout of Monaco in midweek, also came close with a rasping effort that sailed across Luiz Junior’s goal and wide.
The 25-year-old Brazil forward went a 13th straight La Liga match without scoring, but was involved as Mbappe found the net two minutes into the second half.
- ‘Nightmare for defenses’ -
Vinicius came into the box from the left flank and his low cross was blocked but Mbappe was on hand to squeeze home his 20th league goal of the campaign from close range.
“They are a nightmare for defenses,” said Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. “I hope they can keep bringing joy.”
Villarreal had the better of the second half as they worked hard to pull level, but Moreno spurned their best chance by firing inches over when well-placed.
In stoppage time, Mbappe was felled clumsily by Alfonso Pedraza in the box and the French forward cheekily dinked home the resulting penalty to seal Madrid’s victory.
Mbappe’s team-mate Brahim Diaz, who missed a similar attempted Panenka penalty for Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final, was on the pitch to see it as he returned to action for his club.
“For you,” Mbappe appeared to say to Diaz during the celebration, indicating it was a gesture of support.
“For me, the most important thing is that are united, we saw it last Wednesday with Vinicius’s goal and we saw it again today, with Brahim,” Arbeloa told reporters.
The Yellow Submarine are now 10 points behind leaders Madrid, having played one fewer match than Arbeloa’s side.
“We have to be a bit more accurate in attack against these kinds of teams,” admitted Villarreal midfielder Alberto Moleiro.
Elsewhere, fifth-placed Espanyol fell to a 3-2 defeat at Valencia that left them seven points behind Villarreal.
