Belmadi's blunt response over Youcef Belaïli's omission

Youcef Belaïli is missing from Djamel Belmadi's squad for the Greens' next two matches. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the Algeria coach was keen to clear up the player's omission, and he did not pull his punches. "Quite simply, he's without a club and not playing competitively. There's no issue here. I won't get into that. In 2018, when we picked him, nobody was talking about him. Nobody mentioned him, not on TV panels, not in the press. You won't manage to create any ambiguity between him and me. He has no club. The day he finds a club and is competitive again, he'll be eligible for selection again. Full stop," insisted the 2019 African champion.

Youcef Belaïli left Ajaccio early after a series of off-field slips. The club had reported him missing on two occasions before he reappeared at training. The club subsequently opened disciplinary proceedings against the player, before he decided to leave Corsica.

The Algeria team will be in camp from 12 to 20 June. The Fennecs will play two matches: against Uganda on 18 June in Douala, Cameroon, on matchday 5 of 2023 AFCON qualifying, and against Tunisia in a friendly on 20 June at the 19 May 1956 Stadium in Annaba.