African Cup of Nations 2017: Belkhiter, Belkalam, Mesbah and Saadi will join Algeria team

Algeria coach Georges Leekens chose defenders Mokhtar Belkhither, Said Belkalam and Djamal Eddine Mesbah to play in the African Cup of Nations finals 2017. Mahdi Zeffane, Hicham Belkaraoui, Yacine Ben Taiba and Yacine Ben Zeya were excluded, Echorouk has learnt.

Leekens did not choose Ben Taiba, Belkaraoui, Zeffane and Ben Zeya as their level was not satisfying and he was not convinced by their capacities. He preferred other players such as Belkhither, Idriss Saadi, Adam Ounas and Djamal Eddine Mesbah.

Belkaraoui did not play four matches with his team Taraji (Tunisia) due to injury. He also made mistakes in a former game. 

Zeffane was excluded because he does not play a lot with his team Rennes (France). He also made mistakes in a former match. Ben Zeya was also excluded for the same reasons.

Belkalam will prepare himself and Benyahia may be called in

Echorouk has learnt that Said Belkalam will join the Algerian national team ahead of the African Cup of Nations. Leekens and the team general manager Yazid Mansouri asked him to go to the Sidi Moussa Technical Centre in Algiers to prepare himself. He will join the centre next week after playing his last match with his team on Friday.

According to the same source, local player Mohamed Benyahia may join the team as well. The decision will be made in the end of December. A list of 30 players will be sent by the Algerian Football Federation to the Confederation of African Football on Thursday.