- Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho faces uncertainty for AFCON as he recovers from a muscular injury, with coach Enzo Maresca cautious about his participation
- Nigerian Football Federation President Ibrahim Gusau expresses optimism about Iheanacho joining the Eagles squad in Lagos for AFCON
Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho faces uncertainty about his participation in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to take place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11. The Nigerian forward has been sidelined for the last two Leicester City games due to a muscular injury, the severity of which is still under assessment by the English Championship club.
During a pre-match conference, Leicester City coach Enzo Maresca provided an update on Iheanacho’s condition, revealing that the player is on the path to recovery but is not yet fully fit.
“I don’t know if Iheanacho can play at AFCON,” Maresca stated. “The only thing I can say is that Kele (Iheanacho) is still injured. He’s getting better but still not 100 per cent, otherwise, he would be in the squad for tomorrow (today).”
Despite Maresca’s cautious assessment, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, expressed optimism about Iheanacho joining the Eagles squad in Lagos on January 9 ahead of the tournament. The Eagles are scheduled to be hosted to a dinner in Lagos on January 9 before departing for Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, the following day.
“I have spoken to Iheanacho; he’s recovering fast and has even started running. He will most likely join us in Lagos, where the team will be hosted to a dinner on January 9,” Gusau shared with reporters in Abuja.
Nigeria is set to kick off their AFCON campaign on January 14 against Equatorial Guinea, followed by a match against Ivory Coast four days later. Their final Group A fixture is against Guinea-Bissau on January 22.
In related news, Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who withdrew from the Eagles’ AFCON squad, is expected to be sidelined for at least three months due to a muscle injury. Coach Enzo Maresca noted that Ndidi’s recovery would take considerable time, causing him to miss a substantial portion of Leicester City’s remaining league games this season.
“The players who are injured are all progressing well,” Maresca stated, providing updates on several players, including Jamie Vardy, Kasey McAteer, Dennis Praet, Will Alves, Kele (Kelechi Iheanacho), and Wilfred Ndidi. Ndidi’s situation, according to Maresca, is the clearest, with an anticipated recovery period of approximately three months due to an important muscle problem.