A coach who crashed out of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with his side at the quarter-final stage has said a Premier League player in his squad was playing with malaria.
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As revealed by Mali manager Eric Chelle on the weekend, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma featured at the tournament in the Ivory Coast while being ill with malaria.
The 27-year-old started only two matches in the competition, including Mali's 2-0 win over South Africa in Group E, while he was introduced as a substitute as his country were dumped out by the host nation on Saturday following a 2-1 loss.
"You know Yves and Moussa [Diarra] were suffering from malaria, regarding the blood tests," Chelle told reporters, according to FourFourTwo.
"It's not so serious, because someone born in west Africa is used to malaria, he could play but for Moussa it was different.
"It was the first time he contracted malaria, so he started some light training.
"We'll take things carefully, but there's no outbreak or anything."
After forward Nene Dorgeles put Mali ahead in the 71st minute in their quarter-final on the weekend, substitute Simon Adingra sent the game to extra-time after scoring for the Elephants late on.
Oumar Diakite, who was also introduced from the bench for the Ivory Coast, then struck in the dying moments of extra-time to secure a dramatic turnaround.
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It remains to be seen whether or not Bissouma will be given the all-clear in terms of travelling back to London ahead of Spurs' league fixture against Brighton Hove Albion this coming Saturday.
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