Injury Doubt Over Ismael Bennacer Ahead of Algeria’s AFCON Quarter-Final Clash With Nigeria

Algeria’s hard-fought victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo came at a cost, with midfield lynchpin Ismaël Bennacer now a doubt for Saturday’s AFCON 2025 quarter-final showdown against Nigeria in Marrakesh.

The former Arsenal youth product and current AC Milan midfielder was unable to complete the match against the Leopards, leaving the pitch in the 49th minute after experiencing discomfort. He is expected to undergo medical tests to determine his availability for the clash with the Super Eagles.

Algeria boasts an impressive record when Bennacer features against Nigeria, having never lost any of the three meetings in which he played. That run includes a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier that originally ended 1–1 but was later awarded 3–0 to Algeria after Nigeria were found to have fielded an ineligible player, Abdullahi Shehu.

Bennacer’s pedigree at the Africa Cup of Nations is well established. He was named Player of the Tournament at the 2019 AFCON, where he also claimed the Best Young Player award after playing a central role in Algeria’s title triumph.

Providing an update on his squad following the win over DR Congo, Algeria head coach Vladimir Petković confirmed that Bennacer’s fitness remains under assessment.

“The match was difficult and physically demanding,” Petković said at the post-match press conference.

“We will wait until tomorrow to find out the health and medical status of Ismaël Bennacer and the rest of the injured players.”

Interestingly, Bennacer shares a unique career milestone with Super Eagles playmaker Alex Iwobi. Both midfielders made their Arsenal debuts on the same day, featuring in a Carabao Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday on October 27, 2015, marking their first official appearances for the North London club.

With Algeria preparing for a high-stakes encounter against Nigeria, Bennacer’s availability could prove pivotal as both heavyweights battle for a place in the AFCON semi-finals.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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