Norwich City: Slimane injury scare reports in Tunisia tie....
(pinkun)
Tunisia have cancelled Saturday’s friendly against Mali due to injury concerns – with reports Norwich City midfielder Anis Ben Slimane was one of the players set to be ruled out.
Slimane started and played Monday’s 2-2 Afcon group stage draw against Botswana before he was withdrawn after 64 minutes.
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder was also a second half substitute in a 1-1 draw in the same competition against Uganda earlier in the international period.
But according to Tunisian radio station, Mosaïque FM, Slimane was reportedly set to sit out Saturday’s Mali friendly with an unspecified injury.
City had 12 players originally called up for international duty but Slimane, Ruairi McConville and Darlin Yongwa are the only senior ones who have featured due to a range of fitness-related concerns.
Philippe Clement’s squad return to action at Championship table toppers Swansea on October 10, and Slimane was involved in nine of the Canaries’ opening league and cup fixtures, producing one goal and one assist.
Tunisian football federation president, Moez Nasri, denied this weekend’s friendly call off was due to tensions in the camp with new head coach Mouine Chaabani, after a dire World Cup campaign saw Sabri Lamouchi dismissed in the summer following their opening 5-1 group stage defeat to Sweden.
Reuters report in addition to injuries “a source close to the national team” cited concerns a negative result against Mali could affect Tunisia’s current Fifa ranking.
“We felt that it was in the team's best interests not to play this match, notably because of injuries and some players' commitments, such as (suspended) Ismaël Gharbi. These are the real reasons for the cancellation,” said Nasri, quoted by foot-africa football site on Thursday.
“The situation within the Tunisian national team is good, contrary to what some people are saying. I have nothing to add or clarify further. The Tunisian Football Federation provided all the necessary conditions from an administrative and logistical standpoint, and we did everything that was asked of us.”
Clement ruled Mo Toure (shoulder) out for months, and Kenny McLean (ankle) and Ben Chrisene (shoulder) for weeks at the start of this international period.
The Belgian had made it clear after the initial wave of call ups City would be working closely with national associations to manage their players.
“We have a lot of communication around it. But we will see after the international window how it works practically,” he said. “Because people can promise you a lot of things. I need to see it practically, of course. You don't have any control of it.
"How will they come back? The longer they are out of the story here, the more they can forget also.
“I've been there 12 years myself to be in the national team and I was really proud about it. It gave me experience, those situations also, to play those games, to train with really quality people around me that I could learn out of that. So I'm totally not against national teams.
“I know also the advantages of playing for a national team and what it can help the players. It's finding a balance, but of course you want to keep them all the time with you. But it's not possible and I think it helps also for the experience, that they have those experiences at that level.”
Posted By: DrDublin on October 2nd 2026 at 11:52:35
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- Norwich City: Slimane injury scare reports in Tunisia tie.... (NCFC) - DrDublin, Oct 2, 11:52:35
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