Luca Zidane to Miss Algeria's Friendlies Due to Injury

Algeria's national football team has suffered a setback ahead of the November international break, as goalkeeper Luca Zidane will miss the friendly matches against Zimbabwe on Thursday and Saudi Arabia on November 18 due to an adductor muscle injury.

The Algerian Football Federation stated in an official release that the 27-year-old player will leave the national team's current training camp after the coaching staff, led by Vladimir Petkovic, decided to prioritize his health. Zidane made his debut for Algeria last month after switching his sporting nationality, playing his first match against Uganda.

To fill the gap left by Zidane, Petkovic has called up Zakaria Bahloul, the goalkeeper from Club Juventud de Qacentina, who joined the team on Wednesday afternoon. The Algerian squad is preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they will begin their campaign against Sudan on December 24, followed by matches against Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea. This comes as Riyad Mahrez and his teammates have recently qualified for the 2026 World Cup.