Hamid Abdelli is expected to remain with Algeria and could be available for next week’s friendly against Niger after medical tests showed that the midfielder did not suffer a serious injury against Burundi.
A private source told WinWin that Abdelli suffered a heavy blow to his left ankle during Algeria’s 2-2 draw with Burundi in the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The source said the injury is not considered serious and that the Marseille midfielder should have enough time to recover before Algeria face Niger on 6 October.
Abdelli is expected to complete the current Algeria training camp despite the problem, with the medical assessment providing reassurance over his condition.
The midfielder reportedly needs only two or three days of rest before he can overcome the effects of the injury and begin working towards a return to full physical and technical readiness.
The news will also provide relief for Marseille, who have already seen several players affected by injuries during the current international break.
Abdelli was not the only Algeria player to suffer a fitness problem during the camp. Amine Gouiri was forced to leave the squad after sustaining an injury to the front of his thigh during the 3-1 win over Zambia.
Gouiri was injured after 19 minutes and was subsequently released from the national team camp. Anis Hadj Moussa also experienced muscular discomfort and was excused from taking part in Algeria’s match against Burundi.
The Algeria squad has already been reduced by the absence of Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was excluded for disciplinary reasons, while Gouiri’s injury further limited the options available to new coach Ibrahim Hamdani.
Algeria opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory over Zambia before drawing 2-2 with Burundi. They have collected four points from those two matches.
The team will now finish the international break with the friendly against Niger at the Hussein Ait Ahmed Stadium in Tizi Ouzou on Tuesday.
Hamdani is expected to use the match to give opportunities to players who did not feature in the two qualifying fixtures.
Abdelli is an important option for Hamdani in midfield, particularly when it comes to the defensive responsibilities he has been given by the new coach. Although the former Angers player is not naturally a defensive midfielder and generally prefers to contribute to building attacks, Hamdani has assigned him duties in that area.
The Niger match will also see Algeria face a side coached by Nabil Neghiz, the former assistant to Vladimir Petkovic.
For Abdelli, however, the immediate priority is recovery from the ankle problem suffered in Bujumbura. The latest assessment indicates that he should have sufficient time to recover before the friendly, although he will first need to complete his rest period and regain full readiness.
The positive diagnosis comes as welcome news for both Algeria and Marseille, particularly after the number of injury concerns that have emerged during the current international window.
