Côte d’Ivoire will play a friendly match against the French team on March 25 at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille. Patrice Beaumelle, coach of the Elephants, unveiled the list of 25 elements summoned for this meeting.
In Marseille, we will find the usual executives, in particular Sébastien Haller, Franck Kessié, Nicolas Pépé, Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly, Max-Alain Gradel, or even Wilfried Zaha. Three new players are appearing: Mohamed Koné (20 years old), 3rd goalkeeper of Le Havre, the left side of AC Ajaccio Ismaël Diallo (25 years old), and the midfielder of Betis Seville Paul Akouokou (24 years old).
Absent in recent months to focus on RC Lens, Seko Fofana is not on the list. “ He’s always been on all my pre-lists. We missed him during this CAN “, had however recently recognized the French technician in the program “Talents of Africa” on Canal + Africa. And to explain: Seko Fofana told me this: “I want to finish my season with Lens but I want to come. When I come (in selection), I will fight to be a starter. If I’m not, there’s better“. “The time of return is obviously not topical.
Gervinho, still injured, is not on the list. The titular goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo is still suspended for doping. Other absences: Wilfried Kanon, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Yohan Boli, or even Amad Diallo.
After the match against the Blues, the Elephants, who were eliminated in the round of 16 of the last CAN in Cameroon by Egypt, and who did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup play-offs, will still face in a friendly England on March 29, at Wembley.
The list
Guardians: Badra Ali Sangaré (JDR Stars), Abdoul Karim Cissé (ASEC), Mohamed Koné (Le Havre)
Defenders: Serge Aurier (Villarreal), Wilfried Singo (Torino), Eric Bailly (Manchester United), Willy Bolly (Wolverhampton), Odilon Kossounou (Bayer Leverkusen), Emmanuel Agbadou (Eupen), Ismaël Chester Diallo (Ajaccio), Hassane Kamara (Watford) , Ghislain Konan (Reims)
Environments : Jean-Michael Seri (Fulham), Ibrahim Sangaré (PSV), Paul Edgard Akouokou (Betis), Franck Kessie (AC Milan)
Forwards: Jérémie Boga (Atalanta), Max-Alain Gradel (Sivasspor), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Hamed Junior Traoré (Sassuolo), Jean-Evrard Kouassi (Trabzonspor), Nicolas Pépé (Arsenal), Sébastien Haller (Ajax), Maxwel Cornet (Burnley), Christian Kouame (Anderlecht)