Mario Lemina Reaffirms Commitment to Gabon Despite Delayed Debut
Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina has reiterated his commitment to representing Gabon, despite not yet making his debut for the national team.
The 22-year-old, who joined the Serie A champions Juventus from Olympique de Marseille this summer, had announced his international allegiance to Gabon earlier in the year. However, his first appearance for the Panthers has been delayed due to his club commitments.
“I chose Gabon and I’m very happy about it,” Lemina told RMC. “I signed the papers and reached an agreement with the Federation. I’m just waiting for my first match, which hasn’t happened yet because of my transfer. Juventus understood and I hope to play the next one.”
The Gabonese Football Federation (Fegafoot) confirmed Lemina’s absence in the recent AFCON qualifier against Sudan, stating they received a formal request from Juventus to retain the player so he could complete his transition to the club.
“We exceptionally agreed to the request from Juventus to retain Lemina so he could finalize the details of his arrival in Turin,” Fegafoot said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Gabonese technical staff has called up Gilles Mbang Ondo, who plays in the United Arab Emirates, to bolster the squad in Lemina’s absence.
Lemina is expected to join the national team in upcoming fixtures, as Gabon prepares for further qualifiers on the road to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, which the country will host.
