Algeria star Riyad Mahrez is the latest player to voice his concern over plans to hold the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations during the January/February period of the year when professionals risk their spots at their clubs to honour national assignments.
CAF broke with tradition by organising the previous edition in June/July 2019 in Egypt, during the off season in Europe but the calendar for the 2021 AFCON has been readjusted to January/February due to rainy season in Cameroon in June/July.
“It’s crazy if they maintain their plans to play in January. They want to kill us. They do what they like it seems. Those are some of the reasons why African football is sometimes not respected,” the Manchester City winger told BEIN Sport.
“They want AFCON every two years and in January. You leave your club for one and a half months whereas you have players competing with you in the same position. You let them have your place.
“EURO is once every four years. CAF needs to do the same thing and in June/July like we did in Egypt last year,” he said.
However, the 2021 AFCON could be moved to the middle of the year following delays in the qualifiers in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
