After Sadio Mané and Naby Keïta were drawn together in the group stages, AFCON 2022 will be of keen interest to Liverpool fans for a variety of reasons.
After years of speculation, Liverpool now know precisely what kind of a test they will have this January. Last night, against the cavernous backdrop of the Palais de Congres in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the draw for the African Cup of Nations 2022 was made, and the fixture dates confirmed. A tournament loaded with current and future stars has frustratingly been treated as a hindrance by the British football public due to its place in the calendar.
This inconvenience has mutated into a lack of respect, with fans often expecting Africans to retire from international football at an age not expected of those from Europe or South America. For Liverpool — a club that has drawn pride and global acclaim thanks to a collection of Africa’s brightest stars — the situation is more complex. From January 9th – February 6th 2022, there will be exacting obstacles for Jürgen Klopp and his team to overcome, if not necessarily those initially anticipated.
Memories remain strong of January 2017, where the departure of Sadio Mané pulled the rug from beneath a promising start to the season. Four defeats in five games, each more hapless than the last, left Liverpool out of contention for all three trophies available to them that year. Considering the club has since added Mohamed Salah & Naby Keïta, this tournament has loomed large as a potential hurdle ever since the decision to host the tournament after the European season was reversed.
Liverpool fans may be more inclined to watch the action from the edge of their seats this time instead of through their fingers, as the draw has thrown up some exciting ties. There’s an inter-club battle as Sadio Mané’s Senegal are in the same group as Naby Keïta’s Guinea, while Mohamed Salah’s Egypt side face a Nigeria team with ferocious support and a host of familiar Premier League faces.
Source:(Liverpool.com)
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