Ivory Coast Receive Injury Boost Ahead of AFCON 2015
Ivory Coast’s preparations for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations have been handed a timely boost, with the Ivorian Football Federation (IFF) confirming that both Max-Alain Gradel and Ismaël Diomandé are expected to be fit for the tournament.
The two AS Saint-Étienne players were previously considered major injury doubts after suffering muscle injuries at club level. However, according to an official statement published on the IFF website, the worst has been avoided.
“There was more fear than harm for Max-Alain Gradel and Ismaël Diomandé. The two AS Saint-Étienne players are in Abu Dhabi and can be recovered for the CAN,” the statement read.
The news is a welcome relief for head coach Hervé Renard, who can now proceed with his 23-man squad as initially selected, without needing any last-minute changes due to injury.
The Elephants are currently in Abu Dhabi for their pre-tournament training camp, where preparations have been progressing since Monday. The squad is nearly at full strength, with only Wilfried Bony and the Touré brothers, Yaya and Kolo, yet to report to camp. They are expected to join the team in the coming days.
As part of their warm-up programme, Ivory Coast will play two friendly matches — against Nigeria and Sweden — before heading to Equatorial Guinea for the tournament.
Drawn in Group D, one of the toughest groups on paper, the Ivorians will face Cameroon, Mali, and Guinea in the group stage. The return of Gradel and Diomandé provides much-needed depth and versatility to a side aiming to finally clinch continental glory after near misses in 2006 and 2012.
