“Former Algerian player gives his opinion on Mahrez’s absence

Retired Algerian forward Mohamed Dahmane, former player of Club Brugge in Belgium, emphasized the importance for the Algerian national team to overcome their Guinean counterpart in their upcoming match next Thursday at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, as part of the third round of African qualifications for the 2026 World Cup. He also shared his thoughts on the absence of Riyad Mahrez.

In an interview with “Al-Araby Al-Jadeed,” Dahmane discussed the exclusion of Al-Ahli star Riyad Mahrez from this training camp, which will also include the fourth round qualifier against Uganda on June 10 at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala. He also denied rumors that Feyenoord Rotterdam would seek to part ways with Algerian player Anis Hadj Moussa, currently in camp with the Fennecs, of whom Dahmane is the agent.

Regarding the match against Guinea, Dahmane stated, “This is an extremely important match for the Algerian team. A win would give us a six-point lead over Guinea, whom I consider our main competitor in Group G. We are currently at the top and playing at home in front of our fans is an excellent opportunity. The atmosphere within the team is very good, and I am confident of achieving a positive result next Thursday.”

Regarding Guinean forward Serhou Guirassy, Dahmane added, “I know this player well, having scored 28 goals in 28 matches with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. He has enormous capabilities, but with the Guinean team, he has often been a substitute and has not always shown the same level of performance. However, we must remain vigilant and prevent the opposing players from delivering the ball to their attackers, which would pose a great danger to us.”

Finally, on Riyad Mahrez’s absence, Dahmane commented, “The absence of Riyad Mahrez has been much talked about in the media, which is normal since he is one of the best players in the history of the Algerian national team. Time will tell if coach Vladimir Petkovic made the right decision, although he explained the reasons for his choice at a previous press conference. Regardless, we must have confidence in the players present and focus on these two crucial matches.”