RABAT: Algeria have been dealt a blow to their Africa Cup of Nations hopes with the withdrawal of key midfielder Houssem Aouar on Friday.
He was injured in training on Thursday, an Algerian football federation statement said, and will be replaced for the tournament in Morocco by Himad Abdelli from French club Angers. No details of the injury were given.
Aouar, who won a cap for France before switching his international allegiance to Algeria, played at the last Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast two years ago where Algeria were shock early casualties.
In Morocco, Algeria compete in Group E, starting against Sudan in Rabat on Wednesday before playing Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.
Abdelli was a surprise omission from Algeria’s initial 28-man squad list announced last week. The 26-year-old is French-born but has won four caps for Algeria.
Blow for Algeria as key midfielder ruled out of Cup of Nations
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Blow for Algeria as key midfielder ruled out of Cup of Nations
- He was injured in training on Thursday
- Aouar played at the last Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast two years ago
Barcelona confirm exit from failed European Super League
- Barca president Joan Laporta said in October 2025 Barcelona wanted to reestablish links with UEFA
- “We are in favor of peace because there is a way forward for the clubs in the Super League to return to UEFA,” said Laporta
BARCELONA: Spanish giants Barcelona confirmed their withdrawal from the failed breakaway European Super League project on Saturday, leaving Real Madrid as the only club still involved.
“Barcelona hereby announces that today it has formally notified the European Super League Company and the clubs involved of its withdrawal from the European Super League project,” said the Catalans in a statement.
Barca president Joan Laporta said in October 2025 Barcelona wanted to reestablish links with UEFA, moving away from the project launched by 12 clubs in 2021 which quickly collapsed under the weight of immense fan and institutional pressure.
Shortly after the semi-closed Super League project was announced five years ago, the six English clubs involved — Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea — withdrew.
Four other clubs, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, followed by 2024, leaving only Barca and Real Madrid still involved in the project championed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
“We are in favor of peace because there is a way forward for the clubs in the Super League to return to UEFA,” said Barca chief Laporta in October.
“We feel very close to UEFA and the EFC (European Football Clubs, a sole, independent body representing football clubs within Europe).”
In 2024, a Spanish court ruled opposition to the Super League from world and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA “prevented free competition,” and in 2025 an appeal from UEFA was rejected.
As a result, Real Madrid and the Super League, promoted by the A22 Sports Management group, were seeking more than $4 billion in damages from UEFA, a source told AFP.
