National team coach Vladimir Petkovic has taken full responsibility for Algeria’s elimination from the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The Desert Foxes suffered a 2-0 defeat against Nigeria, a result Petkovic attributes to tactical shortcomings.
“I take responsibility for the mistakes and choices I made,” Petkovic stated in the post-match press conference. “It is necessary to analyze the changes I implemented, but I don’t believe they would have significantly altered the course of the match.” This statement indicates his acknowledgement of the limited solutions available during the encounter.
The coach also addressed the psychological impact of the defeat. “The players were disappointed because they wanted to go further in the tournament,” he explained, highlighting the disappointment within the team. He acknowledged that the elimination was painful for both the technical staff and the players, despite their best efforts on the field.
Petkovic recognized the difficulty of the match against Nigeria, praising their technical and physical capabilities. He admitted that Algeria failed to impose their usual style of play, particularly in the first half. “Our opponent demonstrated their technical and physical abilities, and we were unable to execute our usual dribbling in the first half,” he said.
Regarding the team’s offensive performance, Petkovic clarified that the issue was not the number of attackers but the quality of service. “We played with three or four attackers, but the problem was that the balls were not reaching them,” he explained, adding that a lack of precision in passing prevented the team from capitalizing on available opportunities.
Petkovic also discussed his tactical choices, revealing his decision against playing with three defenders at the back. “I needed to have more players in attack. I had several ideas and chose this approach in search of balance, but the opponent controlled the midfield.”
Addressing the controversial refereeing decisions during the match, Petkovic opted for caution and avoided direct criticism, despite widespread criticism of the referee’s performance. “I don’t want to comment on the referee’s performance because it doesn’t help anything, but you will notice what happened in the first half and you will understand,” he said, hinting at the impact of certain decisions on the game’s outcome.
These statements reflect Vladimir Petkovic’s awareness of the responsibility placed upon him, while also demonstrating his respect for his players’ efforts as they look forward to the next stage.
