Algerian national team coach Vladimir Petkovic spoke about the difficulty of the upcoming match against Nigeria, which will take place tomorrow, Saturday, in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, confirming that the match represents one of the toughest stages of the tournament due to the value and continental experience of the opponent.

Petkovic explained during the pre-match press conference that the Algerian team is facing a real physical challenge due to the pressure of the matches, noting that the technical staff is primarily focused on quickly restoring the players' physical freshness so that the team is in the best possible readiness at the start whistle.

The “Greens” coach added that the Nigerian team enjoys high physical strength and great speed in transitions, which requires his players to adhere to tactical discipline and remain focused across all lines of play, emphasizing that any negligence in such knockout matches could be very costly for the team.

Petkovic stressed that the mental factor will be decisive at this stage of the tournament, explaining that the players are required to control the course of the match and maintain calmness and patience, especially since such matches are often decided by small details.

The Bosnian coach touched on the technical options, indicating that the starting lineup will be determined in the final hours before the match, based on physical and technical readiness, without ruling out some changes compared to the previous match, in a way that serves the team's interest.

In the same context, team captain Riyad Mahrez confirmed that focus will be the key to advancing to the semi-finals, calling on his teammates to play with high team spirit and adhere to the instructions of the technical staff, stressing that the goal is to continue the journey in the tournament and make the Algerian fans happy.

The Algerian team aims to achieve a positive result against Nigeria that guarantees qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals and to continue competing for the continental title, in a much-anticipated match that promises a lot of competitiveness and excitement.