CAN 2025 – Round of 16 / Algeria – DR Congo: Bennacer shows total confidence

06.01.26 AET AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations

Algeria

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DR Congo

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On the eve of the CAN 2025 round of 16 clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ismaël Bennacer delivered a message that was both calm and ambitious. Appearing at the press conference alongside the Algeria head coach, the Algerian midfielder emphasized the importance of collective momentum and the need to approach this fixture with utmost seriousness.

Also read: CAN 2025 – Round of 16 / Algeria – DR Congo: Vladimir Petkovic analyzes DR Congo

“We’re going up against a strong Congo side, who are having a great tournament. We have good momentum, and we want to keep it going. We’ll need to be ready in every aspect to keep our journey alive,” he summarized,

highlighting the demands of this knockout match.

Bennacer also took a moment to shine a light on individual players, especially the younger generation. Speaking about Ibrahim Maza, he offered a protective and clear-eyed perspective:

“Ibrahim is an excellent player who brings a lot to the team, despite his youth and limited experience. We try to support him as much as possible so he can show his talent on the pitch, and we hope he’ll help us for a long time.”

This was his way of stressing the importance of the collective in nurturing talent, without rushing their development.

The senior figure in the Algerian dressing room also praised the exemplary leadership of captain Riyad Mahrez:

“Riyad is the captain, he’s extremely committed, and it means a lot to him to achieve something in this competition.”

He concluded with a statement on the team’s overall mindset:

“Tomorrow is going to be a crucial game against a great DR Congo side, but on our end, we’re going to give everything to show what we’re capable of.”

A message perfectly in line with that of head coach Vladimir Petkovic, who called for discipline and focus to keep moving forward.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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