Morocco coach Vahid Halilhodzic on Thursday expressed his fear that the Africa Cup of Nations, due to kick off in Cameroon on January 9, could be called off due to the renewed threat of Covid-19 and the possibility that European clubs might not release players for the tournament, IgbereTV reports.
“With the health situation, it is getting more and more complicated and difficult,” Halilhodzic told AFP in a telephone interview.
It emerged on Wednesday that the European Club Association, which represents leading clubs across the continent, had sent a letter to world governing body FIFA expressing its concerns about the Covid-19 health protocol for the four-week long competition.
It also implied that clubs may come together to refuse to release players.
Many of Africa’s leading players are based at clubs in Europe, including Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane and Morocco star Achraf Hakimi, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
“There is a big question surrounding whether it will happen or not,” admitted Halilhodzic, the veteran 69-year-old former Yugoslavia international who has previously coached the likes of Ivory Coast, Algeria and Japan.
