Nice defend Ali Abdi amid Tunisia call-up dispute after missing play-off clash

French outfit OGC Nice have moved to defend defender Ali Abdi amid Tunisia call-up dispute after missing the sides relegation play-off match.

The decision to reschedule the relegation play-off between OGC Nice and AS Saint-Étienne has sparked controversy, after the fixture change led to complications involving international call-ups and player availability ahead of the decisive matches.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) moved the two-legged encounter to accommodate Nice’s Coupe de France final commitments against RC Lens, but the adjustment inadvertently pushed the play-off outside FIFA international windows.

As a result, clubs were no longer guaranteed the release of their players, with national teams under no obligation to allow call-ups to return for domestic fixtures.

In response, OGC Nice reportedly entered into discussions with several national federations, particularly those preparing for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, in an attempt to retain key players for the crucial relegation battle against Saint-Étienne.

However, those negotiations were not successful in the case of Tunisian international Ali Abdi.

Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi confirmed that Nice made efforts to keep the left-back available for the decisive play-off, but the request was ultimately rejected. The defender was subsequently pictured with Tunisian a day before the second leg in Nice.

The situation has sparked debate, particularly after Abdi was ruled out of Friday’s decisive fixture at a critical moment in Nice’s season. Some sections of the public criticised the player’s decision to report for international duty instead of remaining with his club.

However, OGC Nice have moved quickly to defend both the player and the circumstances surrounding the situation, issuing an official statement clarifying the timeline of events and their efforts to reach an agreement with the Tunisian federation.

The club confirmed that discussions did take place, but insisted they were unable to secure Abdi’s release. They also highlighted that the player had already featured in the first leg against Saint-Étienne before travelling.

Nice further explained that Abdi’s trip was partly linked to administrative procedures required ahead of Tunisia’s preparations for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, adding another layer of complexity to an already difficult scheduling conflict.

“In light of him being the victim of a wave of insults on social media, the club calls on everyone to be measured and respectful towards a player who, like his club, is the victim of these events,” the statement read.

The club also stressed the human difficulty of the situation, noting that Abdi was caught between club obligations at a critical stage of the season and national team duties ahead of a major international tournament.

The controversy has reignited wider debate around fixture congestion and the challenges created when domestic competitions are rescheduled outside FIFA windows, leaving clubs vulnerable during decisive periods of the season.

For Nice, the timing could hardly have been worse, with the absence of key players potentially influencing one of the most important fixtures in their recent history.