Algeria’s national football team coach, Djamel Belmadi, revealed the stance of the team’s star player, Riyad Mahrez, who currently plays for Al Ahli Saudi FC, regarding his participation in the preparation camp for “The Desert Warriors.” The camp began today in Algeria and includes a match in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and a friendly match.
Belmadi, when asked about Mahrez’s participation in the camp and the two matches after he got married in England on Monday, stated, “Riyad had his wedding ceremony today, but I believe he will be with us tomorrow, Tuesday,” before adding, “I expect him to arrive in Algeria today.”
Riyad Mahrez had made headlines before the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon when he missed the preparation camp leading up to the competition. Algeria’s national team exited the tournament in the group stage, with a goalless draw against Sierra Leone, a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, and a 3-1 defeat against Ivory Coast.
Algeria will play against Tanzania on the upcoming Thursday, September 7th, at the Annaba Stadium in the east of the country, in the sixth and final round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. On September 12th, the team, led by captain Riyad Mahrez, will face the Senegal national team in a friendly match in Dakar.
