Suspended by CAF, Luca Zidane misses Algeria's first squad under Hemdani

Luca Zidane will not be included in Brahim Hemdani’s first squad list for Algeria. The 28-year-old goalkeeper is serving a two-match suspension handed down by CAF following a general altercation that broke out at the final whistle of the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Nigeria on January 10 in Marrakech.

Transferred last summer from Granada to Leganés, still in Spain’s second division, Zinédine Zidane’s son will remain in Spain during the international window. Algeria will play two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zambia (September 25) and Burundi (September 29), then a friendly against Niger on October 6 in Tizi Ouzou. Melvin Mastil, goalkeeper for Lausanne-Sport, is expected to take the starting position in his absence.

Hemdani, appointed after Vladimir Petkovic’s departure, will unveil his first squad list this Thursday at 3 p.m. The Algerian Football Federation failed to attract a renowned coach — Spanish and Portuguese managers, as well as Eric Chelle and Gustavo Poyet, had been considered — before turning to the former international.

The team enters this new era without two pillars: Ryad Mahrez and Aïssa Mandi have both retired from international football. According to local media Compétition, Houssem Aouar and Ramiz Zerrouki could also be left out of the squad. Himad Abdelli, a starter at Marseille since the start of the season, is making his return after missing the World Cup. Ibrahim Maza is uncertain, but Anis Hadj Moussa, Mohamed Amoura and Amine Gouiri are expected to be included. Baghdad Bounedjah, hero of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, is not retained at age 34.