Serie A Suffers as African Players Depart for Africa Cup of Nations

There is no debate: Serie A is weaker without its African players. Milan‘s depth is impaired by the losses of Samuel Chukwueze and Ismael Bennacer. Nigerian mavericks Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will reduce the firepower of Napoli and Atalanta respectively, and Salernitana‘s plight for survival is severely hampered without Lassana Coulibaly and Boulaye Dia.

Overall, 22 players from Italy’s top three divisions of professional football have been called up to represent 13 of the 24 finalists competing for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy. Hosted by Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire), the tournament will take place between the 13th of January and the 11th of February, with teams contesting a traditional group and knockout stage format. The nation’s largest city, Abidjan, will host the final at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

According to Opta’s predictor model, defending champion Senegal is the favorite. Led by former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, the Lions de la Téranga have plenty of bite in attack with Dia – who has scored 20 times in Serie A – potentially pairing up with Al Nassr’s Sadio Mané and Chelsea FC‘s Nicolas Jackson. Five-time winners Cameroon are rated as a dark horse (7th), but are strengthened by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s involvement. The Azzurri midfielder will get his 50th international cap in Group C which also contains Guinea and Gambia.

In Group A, FIFA Best Awards and CAF African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen spearheads a potent Nigerian frontline and could be flanked by Lookman and Chukwueze to form an electrifying all-Serie A frontline. The Super Eagles will face Equatorial Guinea who have called upon a player from each of Italy’s top three divisions – Monza’s Jose Machin, Sampdoria‘s youth academy defender Hugo Buyla, and US Alessandria Striker Óscar Siafá. Christian Kouamé (Genoa) and Evan Ndicka (Roma) will carry the hopes of hosts Ivory Coast who are tipped to top the group and eventually join the Senegalese in the final.

Osimhen scored 10 goals in AFCON qualifying and was later named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year. Chukwueze’s first season at Milan has impressed many since his move from Villareal in the summer. The 24-year-old Nigerian international made headlines in December when he scored the winner at Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League.

Algeria has brought in Lecce defender Ahmed Touba, Roma midfielder Houssem Aouar, and 2021-22 Scudetto-winner Ismael Bennacer. The two-time champions should coast through Group D which also features Angola‘s Zito Luvumbo (three top-flight goals and two assists for Cagliari) and former Reggiana midfielder Abdoul Guiebre – who has 10 appearances for Modena in Serie B this term.

FIFA World Cup semifinalists Morocco are ranked third, according to Opta’s predictor model, with Lecce’s Oussama El Azzouzi selected to support Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba. The Atlas Lions can progress from Group F by overcoming Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (boosted by Ascoli’s Brian Bayeye and Cremonese’s Charles Pickel), and Zambia, which will rely upon Lameck Banda’s superb form at Lecce.

Salernitana pair Lassana Coulibaly (Mali) and Jovane Cabral (Cape Verde) will confront Tunisia (Group E) and Egypt (Group B) respectively. With 49 matches and three goals in Serie A, Coulibaly will tussle with Hamza Rafia (one goal for Lecce) while Cabral has the daunting task of closing down Mo Salah, the Liverpool FC winger who is still yet to clinch his first AFCON title.

Interestingly, there are four defenders, nine midfielders, and nine attackers amongst the 22-player contingent that was selected from 15 different Italian clubs, bearing a total market value of $360M, according to Transfermarkt. The likes of Osimhen, Dia, and Bennacer could miss up to seven Serie A matches should their nations reach the final. While there is plenty for calcio fans to enjoy at AFCON 2023, savvy soccer scouts will remain alert throughout the remainder of the January transfer window for any potential transfer deals.