Algerian Radio
National football team coach Vladimir Petkovic announced on Monday that defender Jaouen Hadjam has been ruled out for the rest of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) (December 21–January 18, 2026).
"I think we did everything to get him back, but in the end, we authorized him to rejoin his club to continue his recovery there," Petkovic stated during a press conference.
The national coach was speaking on the eve of the match against DR Congo, scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5:00 PM, which serves as a Round of 16 clash in the continental competition.
The Algerian defense remains further depleted by the injury of defender Samir Chergui, who was hurt—like Hadjam—during the second match of the first round against Burkina Faso (1-0).
Meanwhile, left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri is also unavailable, suffering from a severe flu that prevented him from taking part in the last two training sessions.
Finally, central defender Mohamed Amine Tougaï, injured against Equatorial Guinea (3-1), continues to train individually, pending a gradual return to collective training.
