Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri has been removed from the Algeria squad by new manager Brahim Hemdani following an incident that caused tension within the team.
The Algerian Football Federation announced the decision but did not give a reason for the defender’s departure.
Unofficial reports say the dispute followed Algeria’s 3-1 victory over Zambia. Ait-Nouri reportedly went out to warm up several times during the match but was never brought on.
After the final whistle, the defender is said to have voiced his disappointment in undiplomatic terms. His comments eventually reached Hemdani, who reportedly believed they undermined his authority.
The manager then decided to dismiss Ait-Nouri from the national team.
It is not yet clear whether the defender will return to the Algeria squad in the near future, according to derbyderbyderby.it.