Rayan Ait-Nouri sent home by Algeria after touchline dispute

Rayan Ait-Nouri has been expelled from Algeria’s squad by manager Brahim Hemdani following an incident during Friday’s 3-1 win over Zambia.

The Manchester City left-back left the national team’s training camp on Saturday after an altercation during the opening match of Algeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in Tizi-Ouzou.

The decision was confirmed in a brief statement by the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), with Hemdani taking firm action after Ait-Nouri’s behaviour on the touchline.

Ait-Nouri, 25, had hoped to make an impression during the international break after a lack of first-team football at club level. He has made only two appearances for Manchester City this season, starting one of them.

However, he was named among the substitutes against Zambia, with Jaouen Hadjam selected ahead of him. Hadjam scored after only two minutes and, as the match progressed, Ait-Nouri was seen appearing increasingly frustrated on the bench.

The situation escalated in the second half while Ait-Nouri was warming up. Following Zambia’s equaliser, members of the coaching staff asked him to wait. After Algeria regained the lead, he was told to resume his warm-up.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers player refused to follow the instructions, sparking a confrontation. Several players intervened, while Algeria general manager Moussa Saib also became involved in an effort to calm the situation.

Hemdani avoided discussing the incident in detail during his post-match news conference but indicated that disciplinary measures could follow.

“I don’t want to talk about an individual case. Our mission here is to serve the national team and defend its interests, nothing else. If an unusual situation were to arise, whether at club or international level, we would take the necessary measures. In this particular case, there is nothing to say on the matter,” he said.

Ait-Nouri will therefore miss Algeria’s second qualifying fixture against Burundi in Bujumbura next Tuesday. He will also be unavailable for the home match against Niger in Tizi-Ouzou on 6 October.

The episode could affect his prospects of being selected for future international camps.

Hemdani’s uncompromising response has been welcomed by some Algeria supporters. They have described Ait-Nouri’s conduct as “unacceptable” and viewed the decision to remove him from the squad as necessary both to manage the group and to set an example for the other players.

The manager’s stance also represents a clear contrast with the perceived coolness of his predecessor, Vladimir Petkovic.