Transparant with Algeria since the start of the CAN, Riyad Mahrez assures that he will pull himself together. He can count on the support of his coach.
Saturday, during the second day of the African Cup of Nations, Algeria could not do better than a draw (2-2) against Burkina Faso. The Fennecs will play their qualification for the round of 16 of the competition, during the last group match, against Mauritania.
Riyad Mahrez is probably the Algerian player who attracts the most criticism. “I am here, I am the image of the team. You know Africa, it’s not: ‘come on and I’ll dribble four players’. You said it, I’m Riyad Mahrez, so it’s clear that I’m being watched more than my teammates. But we are here. And in the next match, I will score”announced the native of Sarcelles on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
🗣💬 “What I would like the federation to do is to call Belmadi and tell him that Mahrez is KO, finished for football! We’re playing with ten”
🇩🇿 Ahmed, supporter of the Fennecs, criticizes the management of Belmadi on the case of Mahrez, target of all criticism with Algeria. pic.twitter.com/JGUGCGViHa
— After Foot RMC (@AfterRMC) January 20, 2024
Faced with a journalist calling the player “ghostly”Djamel Belmadi defended Mahrez. “I don’t like the idea of shooting a player like that. This is the question that many would like to ask, launched Belmadi, offensively. Riyad is a leader, he has proven himself recently, no one is playing for status at home, I know we will still need him in this tournament”indicated the Algeria coach at a press conference, after the draw against Burkina.
