AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Paulo Duarte snubs press conference as Guinea turn up the heat on Bafana Bafana

Mind games have begun ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier between South Africa and Guinea, with Guinea head coach Paulo Duarte refusing to attend his mandatory pre-match press conference on Friday.

Duarte’s absence at Orlando Stadium added an unusual twist to preparations for the crucial encounter, as Guinea instead sent third assistant coach Mamadouba Sylla and midfielder Mory Konate to face the media.

The decision could have consequences for Duarte and Guinea, with the coach potentially facing disciplinary action from the Confederation of African Football (Caf) for breaching the competition’s media protocols.

Duarte was later seen on the pitch with his players as Guinea continued their preparations for the match, but his decision not to attend the scheduled press conference raised questions about his approach ahead of the qualifier.

The translator accompanying the Guinea delegation confirmed that efforts had been made to persuade Duarte to attend, but the Portuguese coach remained unwilling to participate.

“There is no valid reason, he didn’t want to come. He wanted to focus on their training session. I tried to convince him to come to the press conference but he didn’t want to come,” said the translator.

Guinea confident despite Bafana changes

While Duarte stayed away from the media spotlight, Guinea used the press conference to underline their readiness for the challenge posed by South Africa.

Konate said the visitors have already studied Bafana Bafana extensively, with their participation at the 2026 Fifa World Cup providing Guinea with enough footage to assess their opponents.

The midfielder also suggested that South Africa’s recent coaching change would not significantly alter what Guinea expects to encounter on the pitch.

“They have a good idea on Bafana because they played at the 2026 Fifa World Cup and they had enough time to analyse the team. They have a new coach but they are exactly the same team.”

According to the translator, Guinea believe they understand South Africa’s approach and are prepared for the tactical demands of the contest.

“They are ready for the game, they know the style of South Africa and how they play,” he explained.

With Duarte choosing to keep his thoughts away from the media, Guinea’s representatives nevertheless projected confidence ahead of the meeting.

The decision to skip the press conference could now become a talking point beyond the football itself, particularly if Caf determines that the coach breached its mandatory media requirements.