Global pandemic requires, the CAN, which begins Sunday with Cameroon – Burkina Faso in Yaoundé (5 pm), is vintage “2021”, like the recent Euro 2020, won by Italy on July 11, 2021. However, this competition carrying so much talent and jubilation is not subject to any expiration date.
Algeria, defending champion, African scarecrow with a 33-game unbeaten streak, will remain the team to beat. Senegal, finalist of the previous edition, is also applying for the title, as are several outsiders: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana and of course Cameroon, the organizing country.
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The latter is offered a chance to catch up after having seen the organization of the 2019 edition withdrawn (in favor of Egypt) due to lack of preparation and intends to be up to the task, even if the risks of organizational, health and even terrorist nature must be taken into account.
In stadiums, a 60% fill gauge has been introduced, increased to 80% when Indomitable Lions play. Supporters will be required to present a full cycle of vaccination and a negative PCR test within 72 hours.
Whatever the context, the African football stars did not slip away at the call of the CAN: Mahrez (Algeria), Salah (Egypt), Mané (Senegal) for the most brilliant of them. The echo of the first positive cases – the Gabonese Aubameyang and Lemina or the Senegalese Pape Matar Sarr – is heard but nothing eliminatory so far for the players concerned.
“We are all going through a difficult period with the Covid-19 and, in some African countries, the only happiness is football,” said Wahbi Khazri, the Tunisian midfielder from Saint-Étienne. If we can put that aside and have a good time in the country, it is even more gratifying. This is what we play football for, to make people happy. “
