Cameroon’s Joel Matip Sidelined Until 2015 After Foot Surgery
Bad news for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon: central defender Joël Matip will not return to action until 2015. According to an official statement from his club Schalke 04, the 23-year-old has suffered a fractured metatarsal in his right foot and will undergo surgery.
Matip had just returned from a previous injury and started Schalke’s match against Wolfsburg last Saturday, but was forced to leave the pitch after only 18 minutes due to this fresh setback.
This injury casts serious doubt over Matip’s potential participation in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (January 17 – February 8). Already distant from the national team since the 2014 FIFA World Cup, his availability for the continental tournament remains uncertain.
Cameroon will now have to monitor his recovery closely while considering defensive alternatives for the AFCON.
