Nicolas Pepe has left the Cote d’Ivoire squad for family reasons and will miss the Elephants’ friendly against Cameroon.
The Villarreal winger, 31, was given permission to depart by the Federation Ivoirienne de Football (FIF), which announced the decision 13 hours before kick-off. He rejoined his wife, who was about to give birth.
The match is scheduled to take place during the night from Saturday into Sunday at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.
Pepe had started both of Cote d’Ivoire’s opening Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying matches under Herve Renard. He played 86 minutes in the 2-0 win over Ghana in Bouake on 24 September, before featuring for 65 minutes in the 2-0 defeat by Somalia in Abidjan at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium on 29 September.
He has won 59 caps for Cote d’Ivoire and scored 14 goals.
Bazoumana Toure is expected to replace Pepe on the right flank. The 20-year-old Newcastle winger is his natural deputy and had already come on for him in the Elephants’ previous two matches.
Toure marked his substitute appearance against Somalia with a goal.
