Nadhir Benbouali's injury opens the door for Baghdad Bounedjah's return to Algeria national team

Algeria have suffered another setback ahead of their November training camp, with Pyramids FC forward Nadhir Benbouali ruled out for a month due to a thigh muscle injury. This means he will miss the matches against Togo in the third and fourth rounds of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification for 2027.

Nadhir Benbouali's absence is a setback for coach Ibrahim Hamdani, who had included the striker in his plans for the upcoming international fixture, especially after expressing concerns about the quality of options available in the centre-forward position during the September camp. This forces the coaching staff to reassess their options and search for a suitable replacement.

Baghdad Bounedjah, the striker for Pyramids FC, has seen his injury bring him back into the pool of candidates for a return to the national team, given the strong performances he has been delivering with his club. Previously, he had caught the attention of Nadhir Benbouali, who considered the possibility of calling him up again before finalizing the anticipated squad.

According to available information, the coach of the Algeria national team had reconsidered the idea of calling up Baghdad Bounedjah just a few days before the announcement of the squad, despite being impressed with his level and abilities, after discussing his situation with his assistant, Antar Yahia.

The decision to exclude Al-Shamal's striker was not related to technical reasons, but rather to the ongoing issue with the Algerian Football Federation, following the statements he made against former coach Vladimir Petković after the national team's exit from the Quarter-Final of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualification 2025 against Nigeria.

The Swiss coach had prepared a report regarding Baghdad Bounedjah, in which he accused him of causing problems within the group and not adhering to disciplinary regulations. These observations are still present in the federation's stance, despite the change in the coaching leadership of the national team.

With Benbouali's absence confirmed, Hamdani may find himself forced to reassess his position on Bounedjah, especially since the available attacking options did not deliver the expected level during the last camp. Amin Chiakha, the former FC Copenhagen striker, failed to take advantage of the opportunity he received in the matches against Zambia and Burundi, while Mounsef Bakrar, the Al Ahly FC striker, has been ruled out after his lackluster performance in the friendly against Niger, leaving the coach unconvinced by what he showed during the last training camp.

Attention turns to the press conference scheduled for today, where Hamdani will announce the squad for the November camp, to see if he will reopen the door for Baghdad Bounedjah and give him another chance, or if he will continue to exclude him due to previous disagreements, despite the national team's need for a striker with international experience.

Meanwhile, the front line will see the return of Amine Gouiri, the Olympique Marseille striker, after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the September camp. He is expected to be one of the key options alongside Amin Chiakha, who will also get another chance despite his fluctuating form in recent times.

The third attacking spot remains in question, with the possibility of calling up Baghdad Bounedjah or sticking with the duo of Amine Gouiri and Amin Chiakha. There is also the potential to rely on Amin Amoura as a striker and to add a new name on the left flank to support Adil Boulbina.