Sébastien Haller is in an emotional split. The 27-year-old striker of Ajax is part of the final selection of Ivory Coast, which will play at the Africa Cup in January. However, it means that Haller will have to miss the matches with FC Utrecht and PSV: duels that are considered very important in the battle for the title in the Eredivisie. Haller never sees the overlapping of play dates happening in European countries and speaks of a lack of respect for his continent.
The Africa Cup was originally scheduled for the summer of 2021, but was postponed due to the corona virus. “This statement shows the disrespect for Africa. Would this ever have been presented to a European player towards a European Championship?”, Haller wonders aloud in an interview with The Telegraph. The past European Championship of 2020 was ‘just’ moved outside the club competitions to the summer of 2021.
Haller ultimately chooses to go to the Africa Cup, but believes that he should not be forced to do so. “Of course I would have liked to have taken the plane in between to play against FC Utrecht and PSV, but that is simply impossible. This situation is very frustrating. I find it terrible to have to choose between my country and club. That is real.” shit. I play with Ajax for the title and those two matches are very important, because they influence the ranking.” With eighteen matches played, Ajax is one point behind leader PSV: 42 to 43 points.
Haller, eight-time Ivory Coast international (three goals), will in any case not be available until January 20, when his country’s final group game against Algeria takes place. The remaining matches in Group C with Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone will take place on January 12 and 16, respectively. Ajax made it according to The Telegraph with the hired Brian Brobbey already a replacement for the absence of Haller, although the club has yet to confirm that itself. The team from Amsterdam will resume the competition on January 16 in De Galgenwaard.
Related
More sports news