AFCON
AFCON: Klopp hopeful Liverpool can retain Salah and Mane for vital matches
Jürgen Klopp has said he is optimistic Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané will be available for Liverpool’s trips to Leicester and Chelsea over the festive period after talks over delaying their departure to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Liverpool have approached the Egyptian and Senegalese football associations over the possibility of their key forwards reporting late for a tournament scheduled to be held in Cameroon between 9 January and 6 February. The club are seeking a similar arrangement with Guinea over Naby Keïta.
According to Fifa regulations the trio should join up with their international teams after Liverpool’s Boxing Day game against Leeds. But with crucial visits to Leicester on 28 December and Chelsea on 2 January, Liverpool want their departures delayed. That would mean Salah, Mané and Keïta missing only two Premier League fixtures, at home to Brentford and away to Crystal Palace.
The Liverpool manager said: “It’s not decided yet. I am an optimistic person, so I hope so, but it’s not written in stone and not completely in our hands.”
Liverpool travel to Wolves on Saturday before visiting Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday when, with the group won, Klopp is likely to rotate. That could see Nat Phillips make his first start of the season and Klopp, who describes the defender’s lack of playing time as unfair, says the 24-year-old could move in January. But he was effusive in praise of a player instrumental in Liverpool qualifying for this season’s Champions League.
Klopp said: “People often ask me which player made the biggest improvements under my leadership and I say Robert Lewandowski. That’s probably right, but not far off that is Nat Phillips, just in a completely different department.
“I remember when I saw Nat Phillips first. I spoke to him after the game and he’s one of the smartest players I ever worked with. I told him: ‘You know you are not the easiest on the eye?’ But he improved in pretty much everything since, and he’s not playing. Life is sometimes not fair and I can’t blame him. We cannot keep him for ever, that’s clear. We needed him, just to be safe, for that half-year.
“We will see what happens in the window. He was fine doing it because he’s a great guy but his development is absolutely insane … I would sign him for any club except Liverpool because we have him.”
Klopp, meanwhile, believes this week’s appointment of the Brazil World Cup winner Claudio Taffarel as an extra goalkeeping coach will have a major impact on the career prospects of the club’s young talent.
“For the boys who are not involved on a weekend we can really work with them properly and consistently,” he said. “We thought somebody with their real own opinion would be good. We want to challenge ourselves and improve the goalies. We had to buy the best goalie in the world for big money [Alisson]. That should not happen that often any more. We invest a lot in scouting and youth, and I think we have in Marcelo [Pitaluga] and Harvey [Davies] incredible talents.”
-The Guardian
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their impressive performance in the 4–0 victory over Benin Republic, praising the team for keeping Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Adebayo Onanuga, the President lauded the players for their “hunger, passion, and determination” during the crucial qualifier in Uyo, describing their display as one that has “reignited Nigerians’ football pride.”
“While the job is not yet complete, I join millions of Nigerian football fans in wishing our team every success in the playoffs,” Tinubu said. “The mood across the country reflects a shared belief that Nigeria deserves a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico, and the United States will host.”
Reaffirming the government’s backing, President Tinubu assured the players and coaching crew of full Federal Government support as they prepare for the decisive play-off stage.
“Nigerians everywhere believe in you, and I do too,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you fly our flag proudly on the world stage.”
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The Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has announced a strong start to ticket sales, confirming that 58,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
According to an official update, the enthusiasm for the continental showpiece has also been reflected on the Yalla App, where 145,731 applications have been received so far. In addition, a total of 121,924 FAN IDs have been issued, including 31,058 belonging to foreign nationals representing 108 countries around the world.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the committee disclosed that technical teams are working round the clock to enhance the ticketing and FAN ID systems to ensure smooth processing for fans.
To assist applicants and ensure better communication, the organizers have provided a dedicated customer service line: +212 5 30 30 20 30. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Arabic, English, and French, and is staffed by over 600 agents trained to respond to inquiries and provide user support.
Fans can also reach the support team via email at info@yallamorocco.ma.
The Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to supporters, media representatives, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a seamless and memorable experience for all stakeholders during AFCON Morocco 2025.
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Ticket sales for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will officially open on Monday, 13 October 2025, with an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale window reserved for Visa cardholders, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.
Fans across Africa and around the world will be able to secure their seats for what promises to be the continent’s biggest football spectacle, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The special Visa pre-sale period will run from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) until Wednesday, 15 October at 08:00 GMT, before general ticket sales open to all fans using other payment methods.
To streamline ticket purchases and enhance security, the Local Organizing Committee has launched the YALLA App, an integrated digital platform for fans to obtain their Fan ID — a mandatory requirement for buying tickets — and apply for E-Visas (AEVM) where necessary.
According to organizers, each registered Fan ID allows supporters to buy only one ticket per match, ensuring wider access and transparency in ticket distribution.
The process for obtaining tickets is straightforward:
- Download the YALLA App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
- Apply for a Fan ID and E-Visa (if required) through the app.
- Once approved, Visa cardholders can visit tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) to purchase their AFCON 2025 tickets.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is expected to deliver a festival of football and culture, with fans urged to complete their Fan ID registration early to avoid last-minute rushes.
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