Bayer Leverkusen CEO Threatens Legal Action Against AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast

• Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has reacted to AFCON 2023's timing
• The Bundesliga leaders will lose five players during the tournament in Ivory Coast
• AFCON 2023 will begin in January and end in February 2024

Chief Executive Officer of German club, Bayer Leverkusen, Fernando Carro, has strongly opposed the timing of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, claiming it is 'unacceptable.'

Carro is even considering legal options to stop African players in the Bayer Leverkusen team from participating in the competition scheduled for January and February next year.

The Bundesliga leaders will be hit hard, with five of their players expected to leave for the tournament.

Forward Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella are expected to join the Super Eagles, while Amine Adli plays for the Atlas Lions of Morocco. Odilon Kossounou of Ivory Coast and Edmond Tapsoba of Burkina Faso are the other players set to join their national teams in January.

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"It is unacceptable that the Africa Cup is being played in the middle of the season,” Fernando Carro told Sport1, as quoted by Football Ghana.

“In order to change that, I will enter into a dispute with FIFA. We are also checking whether there is a legal chance of not having to release the players.

“That is not realistic. And in principle, I don’t want to prevent anyone from taking this step.”

Bayer Leverkusen are enjoying a great start to the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign, sitting top of the table with a two-point advantage over Bayern Munich, per Bundesliga's official website.

Victor Boniface praises Granit Xhaka

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface praised Granit Xhaka on social media.

The Nigerian international returned to club football after failing to lead his national team to victory in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

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On his return, Boniface was a starter in Leverkusen's 3-0 win over Werder Bremen but failed to find the back of the net.

Bundesliga mourn Ghanaian winger Agyemang Diawusie

Sports Brief also reported that German-born Ghanaian, Agyemang Diawusie has sadly passed away. The Jahn Regensburg winger was confirmed to have died on November 28 at the age of just 25.

The cause of his death has not been confirmed as the club, and his family are yet to make further details public.

However, Regensburg announced the passing of the footballer on Tuesday across their social media handles.