Ivory Coast’s national football team is heading into the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with optimism, despite concerns over the fitness of Borussia Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller. Jean-Louis Gassée, the team’s coach, recently provided an update on the recovery progress of Haller and Simon Adingra.
The Elephants are set to host the AFCON, marking their second time organizing the prestigious tournament after their inaugural hosting in 1984.
Placed in a challenging group alongside Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast has been closely monitoring the rehabilitation of key players.
Gassée addressed the status of Sébastien Haller, who has been nursing an ankle injury in the lead-up to the tournament.
“All is well for Haller and Adingra. Their recovery dates coincided with the end of the first day of the AFCON. But here we are making good progress.
We will do the exams when we return to Abidjan on Sunday. And I think that from there, they will start collective training,” Gassée assured, as reported by Mondial Sports.
With the opening match scheduled for January 13 against Guinea-Bissau at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro, the Elephants are determined to field their best squad.
Although Sébastien Haller’s participation in the first match remains uncertain, the coaching staff is optimistic about his availability for subsequent fixtures, including encounters with Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.
As the anticipation builds for the commencement of AFCON 2023, Ivory Coast remains focused on ensuring the readiness of its players, including key assets like Sébastien Haller, as they aim for a strong showing in front of their home crowd.
