Ajaccio winger Youcef Belaïli returns to club after prolonged & unexpected Algeria stay | OneFootball

AC Ajaccio has announced via a statement the return of winger Youcef Belaïli, with a delay of two days. The Algerian international had been granted permission to continue his rehabilitation in Algeria, but the club was expecting him to return on time.

In an official statement released on Twitter, the club explained the situation: “On Tuesday, March 28th, the club decided to grant Youcef Belaïli a few extra days due to his adductor injury. The coaching and medical staff were informed and followed the player’s treatment. Youcef Belaïli met with coach Olivier Pantaloni and sports coordinator Johan Cavalli this morning to explain his two-day delay. He will now begin the reathletization process with our medical staff.”

The Algerian winger had informed his club that he intended to stay in Algeria during the international break last week, as reported by L’Équipe. Belaïli had cited an adductor injury that he wanted to have treated in his home country, which had already caused him to miss games in February. This explained his substitution in the match against Monaco just before the break, where he had played only for an hour.

During his time on international duty, Belaïli had played in two games, but he had texted the club a picture of an ultrasound scan to prove his injury. Even though he was supposed to request permission from the club before seeking external treatment, Ajaccio decided to leave the situation as it was for the time being, despite being confused. Johan Cavalli, the club’s sporting director, declined to comment when approached by L’Équipe.

GFFN | George Boxall