In the Africa Cup of Nations opener, Ivory Coast will be without striker Sebastian Haller, who is recovering from an ankle injury, coach Jean-Louis Gasset said.
Gasset added that Haller’s availability for the second game against Nigeria next week is uncertain. Additionally, forward Nicolas Pepe is struggling with a knee injury despite being recalled to the squad after previously being dropped.
Pepe played 30 minutes in the last Saturday’s friendly but is still not fully fit due to a knee injury suffered at Trabzonspor last month.
Despite their concerns, Ivory Coast remains the overwhelming favorite against their small west African opponents, increasing expectations about their chances of success in the tournament.
Gasset, who had never been to the continent before taking the job, is charged with winning the Cup of Nations for the home nation, 20 months on from his appointment.
As a 70-year-old with extensive Ligue 1 experience and formerly an assistant coach of France under Laurent Blanc, Gasset described the experience as a swift learning experience and an exciting challenge, expressing his excitement about the opportunity.
“I want to savour the event and appreciate the environment and the experience,” he told a press conference on Friday.
Gasset acknowledged the pressure but sees it as an opportunity to turn it into something positive, giving the team confidence. He emphasized the importance of taking advantage of the pressure and stressed the message he’s been giving to his squad.
However, Gasset warned about the quality of their opponents, who are yet to win a game at the finals and are 103rd in the FIFA rankings, 54 places below the Ivorians. Despite this, Gasset expressed the need to dominate the game and also acknowledged the danger of their opponents on counter-attacks.
“We want to start well, but with due respect to our opponents, who are very dangerous on counter-attacks,” said Gasset, adding that Guinea Bissau has good players, especially Mama Balde, who now plays at Lyon.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)
