Algeria defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is anticipating a very tough clash against Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The North African football heavyweights narrowly defeated DR Congo in the last 16 to set up a tie against the Super Eagles, who made light work of Mozambique to reach the last 8 of the tournament.
Algeria will lock horns with the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Marrakech Stadium on January 10, 2026, with both teams seeking for a win to secure a place in the semifinals of the tournament.
“It will be a very tough match. We know that Nigeria is a strong team, and generally speaking, only the strong teams remain now. It’s sure to be a big game. We’ll try to prepare for it in the best way possible.”
“Honestly, I am satisfied with the way we qualified for the quarter-finals. The most important thing was qualifying against a very strong Congolese team. We knew they had outstanding players, and it was a great match.” He told reporters.
“Everyone was mentally present against DR Congo, and in the end, qualification is the most important thing.” He concluded.
The last encounter between Algeria and Nigeria dates back to the semi-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, during which the Greens achieved victory by two goals to one. Algeria went ahead to secure the title for the second time in their history during the 2019 tournament.
The winner of the match will play the semi-final against the winner of the Morocco and Cameroon match on Wednesday.
