Algeria-France: Belmadi pushes the project even further – Africa – Abroad

At the announcement of the friendly match projected in Lille between Algeria and Colombia, some observers had cast doubts on the validity of this decision validated by the French Football Federation. As of September 25, the 48,000 tickets of the match had been sold in 48 hours. However, the company Evol Sport, organizer of the meeting, had to consider security measures and a special device around the Stade Pierre-Mauroy for a match that was not yet "ranked at risk". Nearly 800 stewards were mobilized Tuesday night, during a meeting won by Algeria (3-0) during which no serious incident occurred.

A magnificent job

"The supporters (of the Algerian team) have done a magnificent job," said Fennecs coach Djamel Belmadi, in a press conference. They came to support their team, that's what we hoped for, what we wanted, and there is nothing wrong. There was a little incident at the end with these two men who decided to come and spoil this holiday (by entering the field). Otherwise, other than that, it was superb. "

>> READ ALSO – Belmadi: "The fans did a wonderful job"

The last appearance of the national team of Algeria in France went back to November 18, 2008, during a draw (1-1) against Mali, on the lawn of the stadium Robert-Diochon, in Rouen. However, among the opponents, hovered the shadow of France-Algeria on October 6, 2001, at the Stade de France. Winned (4-1) by the French, the match gave rise to whistles against La Marseillaise and the invasion of the field by French supporters of Algerian origin.

"It was (the Algeria-Colombia match in Lille) a test to see if things would go well"

Djamel Belmadi

According Belmadi, ardent promoter of a future match between the reigning African champion and the team of France, world champion, "it was (the Algeria-Colombia match in Lille) a test to see if things happen. would be fine. " And the coach of the Fennecs, adding: "Things went well. Some cities have refused to play these games, rightly or wrongly, there is no debate, but tomorrow will play Marseille, Nice or Paris would be interesting.

"There will certainly be in the future, we will say close, a France-Algeria, said the president of the Algerian Federation, Kheïreddine Zetchi, after the victory in Lille. We had a good chat with the president (of the French Federation) Noel Le Graet. We will continue to do so to agree on a next match in the next year or year and a half. " "This match will happen in Algeria," noted, for its part, Djamel Belmadi.

"No decision has been made"

The two presidents of federations had met Monday in Paris to discuss the project of friendly match between the two selections in autumn 2020 in Algeria, but "no decision has been made". They have again planned to address the subject during a visit of Christmas Le Graet in Algeria "in the first quarter of 2020". The French football team could go face their counterpart of Algeria between 5 and 13 October 2020 in Oran.

>> READ ALSO – Algeria-France, a match beyond the limits of the field

"I want to go play in Algeria," says today Le Graet Christmas, saying "partisan for eight years" of this idea. "It's the only country we do not meet," said the president of the French federation. It is time, fifty-seven years later (the end of the Algerian war), that we can play football. "