André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa says it wasn’t an easy decision to step away from Napoli’s title charge midway through the Serie A season to join Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations squad, but he has the full backing of his club during the continental showpiece.
The club-versus-country row has been one of the key talking points during the build-up to the 33rd edition of the AFCON, with some players — including Liverpool’s Joel Matip and Emmanuel Dennis of Watford — opting out of the competition in order to help their club campaigns.
Despite being a key figure in a Napoli side at a critical juncture in their Serie A title bid, Zambo Anguissa, speaking after Cameroon’s opening 2-1 AFCON victory over Burkina Faso, has revealed the club’s support for his international ambitions.
“It’s always delicate for a player to leave his team, but the club have to understand that the Africa Cup of Nations is an important thing when you’re an African player, and they have to respect that as well,” he told ESPN. “In my situation, the club didn’t have a problem, even though they know that I’m an important component at the team.”