Algeria suffers major setbacks ahead of friendlies as Mohamed Amine Tougai joins growing list of absentees

Algeria’s national football team has been hit with a wave of injuries just days before their friendly matches against Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, the Algerian Football Federation confirmed center-back Mohamed Amine Tougai would miss both fixtures due to injury. After a medical assessment, Tougai was sent home from training to prevent further damage and continue his recovery with Esperance Tunis.

This makes Tougai the third key player ruled out for Algeria’s November games, with Ramy Bensebaini and Fares Chaïbi also sidelined. Bensebaini is resting a back injury, while Chaïbi’s muscle issue keeps him with Eintracht Frankfurt. These absences leave head coach Vladimir Petkovic needing to reshape his tactics and squad.

Despite the setback, Algeria’s coaching staff maintains there’s enough depth among defenders to cope. The upcoming matches were seen as a prime opportunity to experiment with new lineups and boost team chemistry, but injuries have forced a rethink.

No replacements have been officially announced yet, but expectations remain high as Algeria prepares for its friendlies.