AFCON 2021: Guinea Confirm Injury Withdrawals From 27-Man Squad

Guinea have confirmed their final squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations has been cut down to 25 players after forced injury withdrawals.

FC Sochaux’s Flourentin Pogba and Universitatea Craiova’s  Romani Antonie Conte, were two of nine defenders included in the Syli Nationale’s 27-man squad  by Kaba Diawara.

The decision to drop the duo was reached by the coach after consultations with the Normalization Committee running Guinean FA.

Pogba, who is the brother of Manchester United and France star Paul Pogba, suffered a knee injury, which according to a medical report from his club was described as Tenosynovitis of Posterior Tibia Tendon.

The injury was confirmed on December 23 after a MRI Scan was performed by the club doctors and he was found unfit to practice competitively.

For Antonio Conte he won’t be available for Africa Cup of Nations indicating that his club doctor informed Guinea coach Kaba Diawara about his unavailability.

The defender has been as withdrawn from the squad because of injury as he was considered unfit to honor his first call-up to the national team.

Coach Diawara reported to have made a decision to replace the duo by calling Guinean championship players Fode Camara  of Horoya AC and Wakrya’s Gaoussou Youssouf  Siby.

Guinea’s first game in the competition will be against Malawi on January 11, before they take on the Lions of Teranga four days later.

The West Africans’ final Group B match will be against Zimbabwe on 18 January.