How AFCON will affect Ligue 1 clubs unevenly | OneFootball

The 35th Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco runs from 21 December to 18 January, overlapping two Ligue 1 rounds and two Coupe de France ties. According to L'Équipe, it will affect clubs unevenly and cover at most four official matches.

Toulouse are set to lose only Frank Magri of Cameroon, while Paris FC could be without six. The damage will hinge not only on volume but on the quality of those missing.

Metz expect to be without Michel Mboula and, very likely, Habib Diallo and centre-back Jean-Philippe Gbamin. Coach Stéphane Le Mignan took a pragmatic line, anticipating at least one Coupe tie and one league match without them, possibly a further round and another league date, and warning the return phase is rarely simple.

He pointed to defensive cover and wide options for Cheikh Sabaly. Metz have already coped without Diallo in defeats at Brest, 2-3, and against Rennes, 0-1, and could turn to Joel Asoro up front.

Lorient will lose Montassar Talbi, Arthur Avom Ebong, Darlin Yongwa, Arsène Kouassi and Aiyegun Tosin, with the left flank exposed because Kouassi cannot be covered by Yongwa. Per Le Télégramme, coach Olivier Pantaloni said reinforcements can only arrive from early January and the club are monitoring options.

Auxerre’s Christophe Pelissier argued the schedule does not skew the league, though he would prefer June, accepts the climate precludes it, and expects to be hit hard. In a division that showcases and exports talent, clubs will watch their players seek winter spotlight at AFCON.

Source: L'Équipe