Amidst an injury crisis, Montpellier HSC manager Michel Der Zakarian has accused players of prioritising the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The injuries are mounting at Montpellier. Der Zakarian was faced with a spate of injuries during the rearranged match against Clermont Foot at the end of November with Maxime Estève, Théo Sainte-Luce and Jordan Ferri all going off injured. Whilst Estève and Ferri have returned, Sainte-Luce has not.
‘There are some players that are thinking more about AFCON than their club’ – Der Zakarian
Against RC Lens, MHSC were also without Wahbi Khazri, Léo Leroy and Arnaud Nordin. The latter is a key player but is struggling to stay fit this season.WIth a number of injuries to key players to contend with, Montpellier’s form has dropped after a good start. The club’s last victory came against Toulouse FC in late October.
That winless run continued against Lens on Friday, and post-match, Der Zakarian took the chance to accuse players of prioritising the upcoming AFCON over their club.
“It’s difficult because there are too many injured players. There are some that are thinking more about AFCON than their club. They are paid by the club, they aren’t paid by AFCON. The guys need to think first and foremost about their club,” said the Montpellier manager in a post-match press conference, transcribed by RMC Sport.
AFCON gets underway in Ivory Coast on 13th January, with the final set to be held on 11th February 2024.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
