Nicolas Pepe a doubt for the Elephants’ next international break

The Ivorian international has had surgery on his eye, raising doubts over his availability for the upcoming international break with Côte d’Ivoire.

Having already missed Villarreal’s La Liga match against Real Madrid last Saturday, Nicolas Pepe will have to wait a little longer before returning to action. His return to competitive action remains uncertain, with one month to go until the next international break.

This situation could be a major blow for the Elephants, who may be without their striker if his recovery takes longer than expected. For the time being, no specific return date has been announced for the Ivorian international.

Nicolas Pépé’s situation will therefore be one to watch over the coming weeks. Côte d’Ivoire are preparing for the remainder of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Elephants will play a two-legged tie against The Gambia in November as part of the third and fourth matchdays of the qualifiers.