The coach of the Algerian national team, Vladimir Petković, expressed his concern about the possibility of losing one of the players called up to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations due to injuries, ahead of the start of the continental competition.

During the press conference held today, Saturday, to announce the tournament roster, Petković explained that the team had previously suffered from significant absences, saying: "In the training camp held in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, we missed seven players due to injury."

The coach of the Algerian national team added: "I hope we do not experience the same scenario during the preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations," emphasizing the importance of having a complete squad before the tournament begins.

Regarding the national team's ambitions to win the continental title, amid the hopes of the Algerian fans, Petković affirmed: "We hope to make the Algerian people happy and make them proud of us," adding that making promises is difficult, but the coaching staff and players will give their all to achieve the best results.

He continued, saying: "Everyone here, from the players to the coaching staff, feels proud to represent Algeria, and this is our starting point in the Africa Cup of Nations."

Regarding his technical choices, Petković explained that the exclusion of some names is due to intense competition, noting that midfielder Ben Taleb was not selected despite attending most of the previous training camps because other players performed better in his position.

He also touched on the absence of Stuttgart’s German player Badereddine Bouanani, confirming that the competition and his limited appearances recently played a role in the decision. He concluded by referring to Abdelli, explaining that his selections were based on the principles of readiness and balance, given the strong competition among players in various positions.