Kilian Nikiema explains why Burkina Faso cancelled Argentina friendly

Burkina Faso goalkeeper Kilian Nikiema says repeated flight delays and the physical demands of a 14-hour journey led the senior team to withdraw from their proposed friendly against Argentina.

The Etalons had played Central African Republic on the Monday and were due to face the Albiceleste on the Saturday. However, their departure was postponed three times, turning what was meant to be a Monday evening flight into an overnight journey from Friday into Saturday.

That schedule would have meant the players arriving in Argentina on the day of the match, leaving them with no adequate time to recover before facing the South American side.

“The reason is that our flight was postponed three times. We had played against Central African Republic on the Monday and were supposed to play Argentina on the Saturday,” Nikiema told Omroep West Sport.

The goalkeeper said the decision not to travel was made collectively by the players, who were concerned about the risk of injuries caused by the journey and the lack of recovery time.

He also said the Burkina Faso Football Federation had informed the squad that there were technical problems affecting the flight.

The match still offered a major opportunity for the Burkina Faso U23 side, who travelled instead. Nikiema acknowledged that playing Argentina would have been an exceptional experience for the younger players, despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the trip.