In a press conference, Gennaro Gattuso addressed the delicate situation of François Régis Mughe, expressing regrets for the striker.
Olympique de Marseille is going through a challenging period at the beginning of the year due to François Régis Mughe’s refusal to respond to Rigobert Song’s call-up for the 2023 AFCON with Cameroon. This attitude led to his absence in the Coupe de France match against Thionville. The club is currently awaiting approval from the Cameroonian Football Federation to reintegrate him into the team.
Gattuso’s touching revelations on Mughe
Gennaro Gattuso expressed sadness about this situation during the press conference before the 18th round of Ligue 1. He showed compassion for the player, stating, “Since my arrival, he had this blow to the head, lost a month of training due to dizziness, and now finds himself in a situation that overwhelms him a bit. I think there is a lot of suffering, and I am truly sorry.”
The difficulty is even greater for the 19-year-old striker as he had declined the invitation from the Ivory Coast national team, hoping to seize an opportunity in Marseille’s squad due to the absence of some regular starters.
During the first part of the season, François Régis Mughe had few opportunities to shine with the first team, often being on the bench or injured. In six appearances with the professionals, the Cameroonian has yet to score. Unfortunately, he will have to wait a bit longer to find the back of the net, as he is unlikely to play against Strasbourg.
On the other hand, Rigobert Song acted promptly. Following the player’s refusal, the Cameroonian coach had to find a replacement. This led to the recall of Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, the 29-year-old forward playing for Dynamo Moscow, by the former Cameroonian captain. Despite being absent from the last Lions Indomptables gathering, the former Young Boys player has a record of 3 goals and 9 assists in 46 caps with the Cameroonian national team.
Gattuso impatient in this Mughe’s matter
Following his refusal to participate in the AFCON with Cameroon, Régis Mughe is still excluded from Marseille’s matches, causing irritation to his coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Cameroonian international Régis Mughe is currently facing the consequences of his refusal to join the Cameroonian national team for the 2023 AFCON. Initially selected among the 27 players called up for the tournament’s final phase, the Olympique de Marseille player had initially expressed joy before retracting and rejecting the call-up.
This decision proves detrimental as the 19-year-old player, hoping to get playing time at Marseille, seems to have forgotten that FIFA regulates players’ participation in international competitions. To date, Fecafoot has not given its approval for Régis Mughe to play with Marseille during the AFCON period.
As a result, despite training with the team, the player cannot appear on the matchday roster. Unless Samuel Eto’o gives his consent, the Brasseries du Cameroun Football School graduate will have refused to participate in the AFCON in vain.
This situation significantly irritates the Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso, who stated, “Mughe, I have no news from the lawyers, but FIFA has not yet pronounced itself. He trains with the team. I am saddened by this situation. It’s a lot of frustration,” as indicated by Gattuso via Bein Sports.
Cameroon, on its part, is already looking ahead to its debut. The “Indomitable Lions” will face Guinea in Group C, alongside Senegal and Gambia.
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