CAN 2023: Absences Due to Injury Increase.
Bayer Leverkusen's Nigerian striker Victor Boniface has been removed from the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2023), due to injury, representing yet another blow to Nigeria's preparations. The 23-year-old player is the latest member of the Super Eagles team to suffer an injury before CAN 2023, which begins this January 13th, in Abidjan.
Serhou Guirassy, the 27-year-old Guinean striker who plays for Stuttgart, was also injured and is likely to miss CAN 2023 as well.
The Injury
O Bayer Leverkusen, the club where Boniface plays, made a public announcement of what happened today.
“Boniface suffered a muscle and tendon injury to his right adductor during the training camp for the Nigeria national team in Dubai.”
The announcement also stated that the 23-year-old striker has already returned to Germany and that he will need surgery, but the club hopes to be able to count on him from April onwards.
Absences from CAN 2023
Boniface was expected to make an impact at CAN 2023 after starting a season with 16 goals in 21 games for Leverkusen. However, he was left out of Nigeria's 2-0 warm-up game defeat with Guinea in, Abu Dhabi on Monday. Nigeria could call up Nice forward Terem Moffi to replace him at CAN 2023 in Ivory Coast.
Victor Boniface now joins a growing list of Nigerian players who have been forced to withdraw from CAN 2023 due to injury, which includes Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi and Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.
Ndidi's Leicester teammate, Kelechi Iheanacho who did not participate in the Super Eagles' preparatory training, is now expected to join his squad in Ivory Coast.
Serhou Guirassy, the 27-year-old Guinea Conakry striker who plays for Stuttgart, has scored 19 goals in 16 games this season and is also a concern for his team as he left the friendly game early with what appeared to be a thigh injury .
“I don’t think he wanted to take any risks.”
“We still can’t say how serious the injury is, but it doesn’t look too bad.”
Said Guinea coach Kaba Diawara Guirassy.
Guinea Conakry is in its 14th participation in CAN, is part of Group C with defending champion Senegal, five-time champion Cameroon and Gambia. Nigeria is in Group A with Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, facing Equatorial Guinea next Sunday.
Conclusion
The news about Victor Boniface's injury and concerns about Serhou Guirassy's condition highlight the unpredictability and challenges faced by teams participating in CAN 2023. Injuries are always a significant setback, and teams will now need to adjust their strategies to overcome these absences.
But this is part of the game and it is during these moments that the true strength of these teams is put to the test. With the imminent start of CAN 2023, on the 13th, fans can expect an intense and exciting competition, full of twists and surprises. African football, known for its passion and unpredictability, will continue to captivate audiences across the continent and beyond.
Will these injuries influence the results of this CAN 2023? What do you think? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
See also:
CAN 2023: What Are the Surprise Selections?
CAN 2023: Cape Verde Summons 5 Players In Portugal
CAN 2023: 5 PALOP Countries Qualified
CAN 2023: PALOP with strong opponents
Picture: © Bayer Leverkusen
