Ahead of the 2024 Olympic playoff match against the Indonesian U23 National Team, the Guinea U23 squad, which is strengthened by many players from Europe, has been training.
The Guinea U23 national team gathered and trained in Paris, on Monday (6/5). In the morning training session, there were only 14 players. Gradually until evening the players who had careers in Europe arrived. As of Monday night, 19 players had gathered.
Of the 19 names available, the majority play in European countries such as France, Greece, Spain, Belgium and Armenia. There are only five players from the local Guinean league. Meanwhile there is one player who has a career in Tunisia.
Guinea star Ilaix Moriba, who once played for Barcelona, was one of the new players who arrived on Monday night. Moriba is now a Getafe player on loan from RB Leipzig.
Apart from Moriba, the following players who arrived on Monday night were Aguibou Camara from the Atromitros club (Greece), Saidou Sow from Strasbourg (France), Mohamed Soumah who was wearing a Gent (Belgium) shirt, and Fode Camara who was a CS Sfaxien player (Tunisia).
Just like the Indonesian U23 national team, many Guinean U23 players have experience playing for the senior team, such as Moriba, Sow, Camara, Ibrahim Diakite and Facinet Conte.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian U23 National Team has arrived in Paris on Sunday (5/5) afternoon. Shin Tae Yong has led recovery training after his team underwent the 2024 U23 Asian Cup series.
Apart from the players who defended the Indonesian U23 National Team in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup, there was Alfeandra Dewangga who followed to France. Meanwhile, Elkan Baggott is also being sought, as is Justin Hubner, who has returned to Cerezo Osaka after the match for third place in the U23 Asian Cup.
Indonesia will play Guinea in Clairefontaine, France, Thursday (9/5). This is the deciding match to compete for the last ticket in the men’s soccer sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Later, the winner of the playoffs will join Group A. Hosts France are already waiting there along with the United States and New Zealand.