The Algerian Football Federation and the coach of the Fennecs, Vladimir Petkovic, are considering recalling Riyad Mahrez, star of Al-Ahli Saudi, to the Algerian national team as early as the September training camp.
Mahrez, absent since the last AFCON in Ivory Coast, had contemplated international retirement before ultimately reversing course and expressing his desire to return.
According to an anonymous source within the Algerian Federation, Petkovic plans to travel to Vienna to meet with Mahrez and mend any tensions between them. Rumors of strained relations had circulated, exacerbated by misunderstandings that led to Mahrez’s absence during the last June camp, which included matches against Guinea and Uganda as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The choice of Vienna for this meeting is motivated by time constraints and Mahrez’s upcoming preseason camp with Al-Ahli Saudi in Austria. If all goes well, the former Manchester City player could make his return to the Algerian national team as early as the September camp, which includes two official matches against Equatorial Guinea and Liberia in the qualifiers for AFCON 2025.
Mahrez had requested to be excused from the March gathering due to physical and mental reasons, coinciding with Petkovic’s early tenure. Subsequently, Petkovic had decided to exclude Mahrez from the June camp, prompting the player to choose between returning to the national team or retiring internationally after the AFCON in Ivory Coast, especially following the departure of former coach Djamel Belmadi.
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