2026 World Cup (Q) - Algeria: Vladimir Petkovic under fire after Guinea draw | OneFootball

Vladimir Petkovic

This Tuesday morning, the Algerian press showed no mercy to Vladimir Petkovic, head coach of the Fennecs.

On Monday night, Algeria was held to a goalless draw by Guinea (0-0) in Casablanca during the 8th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite qualification being virtually secured, the national press did not spare coach Vladimir Petkovic. The manager’s decisions are being called into question.

"It’s a draw!" headlines Le Soir d’Algérie, featuring a close-up of Petkovic on its front page. The daily sums up the general sentiment: the Greens "missed the mark" after already struggling against Botswana (2-1). Criticized for his line-up choices, Vladimir Petkovic is accused of being stubborn: "He has a host of young players on the bench, but still chose to stick with the same, clearly outpaced, players like captain Riyad Mahrez and Saïd Benrahma."

La Gazette du Fennec offered a similar assessment, seeing in this disappointment a dangerous parallel with former coach Djamel Belmadi. "Petkovic is locking himself into ideas that bear certain similarities with his predecessor, whose tactical inertia led to his downfall," the outlet analyzed.

Nabil Djellit also delivered a sharp critique: "Petkovic has restored order but he’s not building a team. He’s playing it safe with players who are fit… and with big résumés. That might be enough for decent results, but nothing more." According to the journalist, Algeria is "wasting time."