CAN 2027 (Q): Djené Dakonam, Togo holds its breath for its captain

A warning before the break

In defense or in a holding role, Djené Dakonam is indispensable for Getafe, of which he is also the captain. But the 34-year-old central defender had to come off early (65^th) on Sunday evening during the 7^th matchday of Liga against Malaga. A substitution that leaves room for various interpretations, but the former Canon Sport de Yaoundé player was visibly not injured.

"Djené was not feeling well before the match. He had a fever and had a bad night. He is a very honest man who knew the team needed him", his manager José Bordalas confided at the post-match press conference.

With 9 matches across all competitions under his belt this season, he is one of the few Togolese players competing in a competitive league, which only heightens concerns about his fitness three days before the Burundi match.

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A leader for the Togo Eperviers

Since Emmanuel Adebayor's international retirement, Djené Dakonam has become the leader of the Togo Eperviers. A defensive anchor, he has the ability to carry the ball over several metres to push the team forward and break the opposition's press, thanks to the versatility he developed at Getafe in his holding role.

For Togo, doing without a player of such importance could prove costly, especially as the Eperviers are chasing their first Africa Cup of Nations qualification since 2017 and their last participation in Gabon.

"For now I am waiting for Djené to return, as he had an issue in his last match. I will be speaking with him on the phone shortly. I hope that all his medical results will be positive so that he can arrive in the best possible shape", Togo head coach Patrice Neveu stated on Monday.

Since then, the whole country has been holding its breath for Dakonam, who rarely if ever disappoints whenever he wears the yellow jersey.