Ivory Coast will be doing without key defender Eric Bailly at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt after the 25-year-old’s season was declared over by his club Manchester United due to injury.
Bailly put up an inspiring performance against Chelsea in the Premier League clash on Sunday but was pulled off by the 68th minute when he sustained a knee injury.
A medical report released by the Red Devils on Monday indicates that the player could be out of action for a long period.
“Eric Bailly is suffering from a ligament injury in his right knee. He will not be able to play with the Red Devils for the rest of the season and will unfortunately not be available for Ivory Coast at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations,” the report said.
Bailly was a member of the Elephants squad that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. He also participated in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers.
Ivory Coast will open their Group D campaign against South Africa on June 24 in Cairo before facing the other members of the group Morocco and Namibia.
