Injury Sidelines Mohamed Abdelmonem from Egypt Squad Ahead of AFCON Qualifiers

Egyptian defender Mohamed Abdelmonem, who joined French side Nice from Al Ahly this summer for €5 million, has been ruled out of Egypt’s upcoming qualifiers against Cape Verde and Botswana due to injury. Abdelmonem, who recently secured a regular spot in Nice’s lineup, sustained a setback during training before Nice’s Europa League match against Twente.

While his season with Nice started slowly, Abdelmonem has since delivered standout performances, solidifying his position over the past four matches. However, he recently experienced pain in the back of his left knee, which will sideline him for the upcoming game and Egypt’s international fixtures.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has called up defenders Hossam Abdelmagid, Hamdi Fathi, Mohamed Rabia, and Ahmed Ramadan Beckham to cover for Abdelmonem, with Abdelmagid likely to take the lead in defense following his strong form with Zamalek. Egypt has already secured qualification, with wins in their first four matches.