Season discovery Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig has been called up to the squad of Germany's World Cup opponents Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup. The continental tournament kicks off on December 21, with the obligation to call up professionals beginning on December 15. This means that the last RB game of the year in the Bundesliga on 20 December (18:30/Sky) against Bayer Leverkusen will take place without the right winger, as the Saxons announced.
How many games the 19-year-old dribble artist will miss depends on the course of the tournament. Côte d'Ivoire will play Mozambique on December 24, Cameroon on December 28 and Gabon on December 31 in the preliminary round. If the team survives the preliminary round group and makes it through to the quarter-finals, this would take place on January 10.
Liga top match may also be affected
On this day, the Bundesliga starts again and RB must travel to FC St. Pauli. The final of the Africa Cup is scheduled for January 18. Leipzig's Bundesliga top match against FC Bayern Munich will also take place on that day.
"Of course, we'd like to have all the players there at all times. However, it is also our goal to develop players so that they can play for their home country," said RB coach Ole Werner on the issue of Diomande.
Germany will play their second group match at the 2026 World Cup on June 20 against Côte d'Ivoire.
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