Before their departure for Bouaké in Côte d'Ivoire for the tournament, Djamel Belmadi spoke to Sport News Africa.In this interview, the Algerian Fennecs coach talked about their training camp and the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024.From our correspondent in Togo.
The Algerian national team is aiming to erase the disappointment of the previous Africa Cup of Nations held in Cameroon, which saw them eliminated in the first round, after winning the title at the 2019 competition hosted by Egypt.
The Fennecs will kick off their campaign against Angola next Monday in the opening Group D matches, and will meet Burkina Faso and Mauritania on January 20 and 23, 2024, in the second and third games of the tournament. Djamel Belmadi's protégés took part in a training camp in Lomé, Togo, from January 1 to 10, playing two matches against Togo, which they beat 3-0, and against Burundi, who they dominated 4-0.
Are you satisfied with the training camp in Togo?
Yes, we found what we were looking for, like getting used to the climate, which is an important factor, because 90% of our players come from Europe, where the temperature is now between 0 and 5 degrees. This means we'll be facing a difference of up to 25 degrees.
How will Algeria approach the 34th edition of the AFCON?
We're going to start this competition with a lot of humility. It's not wise to say we're here to win the competition. At the last edition in Cameroon, we were knocked out in the first round. Our ambitions are high and our players are competitors. They start the tournament with the idea of going far if possible.
What is the Fennecs' main objective?
We know that the level of competition in Côte d'Ivoire will be high, but we also have ambition, and the players want to do something great to make the Algerian people happy, and that's our mission. We'll do everything we can to reach that goal.
How is the Algerian team doing before the start of AFCON 2023?
The atmosphere within the team is good and the players are focused on their work. They're preparing well for the competition, which we know will be tough. I can say that we're ready for the tournament.
Many people think that you have Burkina Faso as the biggest opponent in your group.Do you agree with them?
I'm not going to motivate them any more.T hey already are. This Burkina Faso team regularly reaches the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.So they're not a team to be underestimated. Their latest result at the last edition of the Africa Cup of Nations shows that. When we were eliminated from the 2022 World Cup, we were all in the same group, but we didn't manage to beat them either in the first or second leg. They're a very high-level team.We're keeping a close eye on them.
Has Djamel Belmadi finally come to terms with the events of 2022, when Algeria were eliminated in the first round of the AFCON and the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup?
We're still reeling from 2022, which was a disaster for us. Before the Africa Cup of Nations, we played a warm-up match against Ghana, which we won 3-0, before flying to Cameroon. We were on a 35-match unbeaten run, a world record since we're third behind Argentina and Italy. So it was a shock to be knocked out of the AFCON and then the 2022 World Cup.
What's more, there were no signs that this debacle was coming. So we suffered. Everyone suffered, even back home. To say it didn't affect us is a lie. However, we were able to react well and qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with 16 points out of a possible 18. But the trauma is still there.
