Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi says there are ‘no small teams in Africa’ as the 2019 champions look to win the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations,Cote d’Ivoire 2023, title.
The Desert Foxes coach was offering his thoughts on the competition following the final draw of the tournament to be played in the West African country in January.
Algeria were drawn against Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Angola in Group D at Thursday’s event in Abidjan which has prompted talk of a kind draw for the former champions.
But Belmadi knows Algeria must be wary of all their opponents when the tournament kicks off on 13 January.
“Burkina Faso is a solid and strong team, and all teams are progressing,” he said at a press conference when asked about the pressure from the fans to win another title.
“We will study our opponents and prepare ourselves well for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations. Fans have the right to demand another trophy and we certainly dream of winning it again.
“There are no small teams in Africa and this was evident during the international breaks.”
Belmadi led the country to the AFCON title in his first major tournament in charge three years ago after beating Senegal in the 2019 final, but were knocked out in the group stage last year.
The Desert Foxes are keen on replicating their 2019 historic success in Cote d’Ivoire and have started preparations with friendlies during this week’s international break.
Six venues across the host nation will be used including new stadiums built in Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo and Yamoussoukro.
The top two in each group and best four third-placed teams will progress to the knockout phase, with the final taking place in Abidjan on 11 February.