A major blow for Guéla Doué at Bayer Leverkusen

The Ivorian right-back could miss the Ivory Coast national team’s next international camp.

Called up by manager Hervé Renard for the first two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Guéla Doué may not be able to make it.

The 23-year-old defender suffered a muscle injury to his right calf during training, his club, Bayer Leverkusen, announced in a statement on 16 September. The German club stated that the injury would keep him off the pitch, without specifying how long the Ivory Coast player would be sidelined.

This news comes at a bad time for Ivory Coast. Guéla Doué is one of the 24 players selected by Hervé Renard for the September–October 2026 international break.

During this FIFA window, Ivory Coast will face Ghana and Somalia in the first two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The Elephants will also take on Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions on 3 October in an international friendly.

However, Hervé Renard is likely to be without Guéla Doué for these three matches. The Bayer Leverkusen right-back is expected to be sidelined unless he recovers sooner.