Football/ Algeria squad in a training camp near Paris ahead of friendly versus DR Congo

The Algerian national football squad have embarked on a training practice in the vicinity of the French capital Paris ahead of a friendly match versus the DR Congo line up.

The Algeria-DR Congo confrontation is slated for March 26, 2008 in a Paris stadium.

The training camp which is expected to wind up next Wednesday involves 24 players, most of them based in Europe .

The first training session to be held on Sunday in a stadium adjacent to the players’ residence will be followed tomorrow by a press conference.

After a series of training practices under the supervision of national coach Rabah Saadane, the Algerian players will take on the DR Congo team on March 26, in the stadium of Nanterre on the outskirts of Paris .

Meanwhile, according to well-informed sources from Paris , the Algeria squad Manager Ghani Djadaoui is said to have succeeded in persuading Karim Ziani, who plays for OM Marseille, to join the Greens in expectation of the DR Congo match.

Karim Ziani was embroiled earlier this week in a bitter row with his coach as a result of OM Marseille’s dismal performance in an 8th final cup match versus the small team of Karkefou.

In a bid to clear the air, OM Marseille President Papa Diouf told reporters that what happened between Karim Ziani and his coach was not abnormal and could occur in all football clubs across the world.

Papa Diouf also denounced certain press reports in France intent on giving this minor incident between Ziani and his Belgian coach another scope stressing such an agitation was uncalled for and could not serve the interests of OM Marseille on all accounts.