Algerian national team left-back, Rayan Ait-Nouri, missed Saturday’s training session due to a severe cold, according to the team’s medical staff. With just 72 hours remaining before the crucial match against DR Congo in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, Ait-Nouri’s participation is now uncertain. The match is scheduled for Tuesday at 5 PM.
Should the Manchester City player be ruled out, national coach Vladimir Petkovic will face a significant challenge on the left side of the defense, particularly given the existing absences.
The team is already without the services of Juan Hajjam, Samir Sofiane Chergui, and Mohamed Amine Tougai. This situation might force the technical staff to deploy Ramy Bensebaini as a left-back.
Regarding Tougai, sources indicate that the coaching staff preferred to rest him as a precaution after he sustained an injury during the match against Equatorial Guinea, similar to his teammate. A final decision on his fitness will be made later.
The Desert Warriors are fully aware of the importance of focus and discipline to reach the quarter-finals of the 35th edition of the continental tournament, especially given the positive signs displayed during the group stage.
The national team achieved a perfect record in the first round, mirroring their performance in 1990 and 2019. This achievement strengthens their ambitions to go far in this edition.
In the 1990 Algeria edition, the team had an ideal run that culminated in winning their first continental title. They repeated the same scenario in the 2019 Egypt edition, which ended with winning their second star. In the ongoing 2025 edition, Vladimir Petkovic’s team continued their strong performance, achieving three consecutive victories against Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Equatorial Guinea, renewing the hopes of Algerian fans for winning their third star.
