Algeria: A major setback for Gouiri!

Sep 26, 2026

Amine Gouiri has been ruled out of the national team after being prematurely sidelined during the match against Zambia. The Olympique de Marseille forward underwent tests that revealed a muscle injury, prompting the coaching staff of the Greens to release him before the trip to Burundi. This decision also raises questions for Marseille.

The evening had started well for Amine Gouiri, but it ended quickly. He was a starter in the match against Zambia for the first game of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, but the Algerian striker had to leave his teammates after just a few minutes, following a collision with the Zambian goalkeeper.

The player attempted to continue the match, before ultimately being replaced by Amin Chiakha. The Algerian medical staff chose not to take any risks with their striker.

Thorough examinations conducted on Saturday confirmed initial fears by detecting a muscle injury. In this context, the technical staff of the Greens decided to release Gouiri so he can receive treatment in France, according to sources from Algerian television channels Ennahar TV and El Hayat TV.

This means that the Marseille forward will not be present for Algeria's upcoming trip to Burundi, scheduled for Tuesday in Bujumbura, as part of the second round of qualifiers. His absence deprives Brahim Hemdani of an additional offensive option for this match.

On the side of Olympique de Marseille, this news is also being closely monitored. Gouiri has been one of the club's key offensive players since the start of the season, and his potential unavailability would be another setback for the Phocaean team, which is already facing squad issues.

For now, no specific duration of unavailability has been announced. It will be necessary to wait for the evolution of his condition and the next medical evaluations to determine the exact severity of this injury.

Gouiri will now return to Marseille to continue his treatment protocol under the watchful eye of the Olympique de Marseille medical staff. The OM will need to be patient before having a clear idea of the length of his absence.

DZfoot