Premier League Manager Calls for Respect for The AFCON Tournament

• The 2021 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations has faced sustained opposition from several quarters
• The European Clubs Association (ECA) recently threatened not to release players for the tournament
• However, Patrick Vieira, who was born in Senegal before he moved to France believes the tournament is as important as the European Championship
• Vieira vowed not to stand in the way of Crystal Palace players billed to represent their countries in Cameroon during the competition

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has called for the respect of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Vieira made the call amid controversy surrounding the release of Premier League stars for the continental showpiece.

A number of European clubs are believed to be unwilling to let African players participate in the tournament, with some calling for its postponement or even cancellation.

Only recently the European Clubs Association (ECA) threatened not to allow players leave for the Cameroon edition of the tournament, citing health concerns sparked by the emergence of the Omicron variant.

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However, Vieira believes the AFCON is as important as the European Championship and there is every need for the competition to be respected.

“I respect and I understand the passion and importance of those players to go and represent their country. I will never stop any players going to the Africa Cup of Nations,” the Arsenal legend noted.

“I believe that competition has to be more respected because this competition is as important as the European Championship," he added.

Meanwhile, the sustained opposition for the 2021 AFCON notwithstanding, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has vowed to ensure the competition goes on as planned.

Senegal name strong AFCON squad

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Senegal have named a strong squad that will represent the country at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The squad features some familiar names, with Liverpool winger Sadio Mane and Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy featuring.

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The duo is joined by fellow Premier League stars including Watford's Ismaila Sarr, Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate and Leicester City ace Nampalys Mendy.

Other top names that made the cut include Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Paris Saint-Germain star Idrissa Gueye.