The national team of Burkina Faso is gearing up to face significant challenges, with the 2023 CAN qualifiers on the horizon and a friendly match against Morocco scheduled for next September. Hubert Velud, the coach of the Stallions, has unveiled the list of players called up for these two major fixtures, and the name of captain Bertrand Traoré is notably absent.
Coach Hubert Velud has called up 25 Burkinabe players for the matches against Eswatini and Morocco, set for September 2023. The Stallions will take on Sihlangu Semnikati on September 8th at the Marrakech stadium, before facing off against the Lions of the Atlas in a high-profile clash on September 12th in Lens, France.
In this list of call-ups, the absence of captain Bertrand Traoré is noticeable, as he has not been selected for these matches. The Aston Villa forward is reportedly not fully recovered from his injury. On the other hand, there is the return to the selection of Mohamed Konaté. The Akhmat Grozny forward has not been called up since the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, where Burkina Faso finished in fourth place. It’s also worth noting the first call-up for Sebastian Koula Tou, the goalkeeper of Sabadell FC in Spain.
List of Burkina Faso’s Stallions:
Goalkeepers: Hervé Kouakou Koffi (Sporting Charleroi, Belgium) Kilian Nikiema (Ado Den Haag, Netherlands) Sebastian Koula Tou (Sabadell/Spain)
Defenders: Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany) Issoufou Dayo (RS Berkane, Morocco) Nouma Valentin (AS Lupopo/DR Congo) Steeve Yago (Aris Limassol, Cyprus) Yacouba Nasser Djiga (FC Basel/Switzerland) Adamo Nagalo (FC Nordsjælland, Denmark) Djebré Abdoul (Modena/Italy) Issa Kaboré (Luton Town/England)
Midfielders: Gustavo Fabrice Sangaré (Quevilly-Rouen, France) Ibrahim Blati Touré (Pyramids FC, Egypt) Cédric Badolo (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldova) Stéphane Aziz Ki (Young Africans, Tanzania) Adama Guira (Racing Rioja CF, Spain) Sacha Jordan Bancé (Standard De Liège, Belgium) Dramane Salou (Urartu FC, Armenia) Ismahila Ouedraogo (Panserraikos/Greece)
Forwards: Dango Aboubacar Faissal Ouattara (AFC Bournemouth, England) Mamady Alex Bangré (Toulouse, France) Abdoul Fessal Tapsoba (Amiens/France) Cyrille Bayala (AC Ajaccio, France) Mohamed Konaté (Akmat/Russia) Djibril Ouattara (RS Berkane, Morocco)
