[Saba Sports News] Although Algeria qualified for the World Cup’s 32-team group stage, the side has lacked a consistent, convincing goalkeeper since the tournament kicked off. According to Spanish media, Luca Zidane has suffered severe psychological issues and a crisis of confidence following his subpar displays against Argentina and Jordan. Tormented by fierce criticism from the media and fans, he suffered a mental breakdown and had to consult a psychologist, ultimately being left out of the matchday squad to face Austria. Luca Zidane’s fragile mental state was plain to see in training. Head coach Vladimir Petkovic opted to bench him for the Austria fixture to shield the player, pairing the decision with psychological counselling to help him pull through. Even so, major doubts linger over whether he can recover his form in time for the knockout tie against Switzerland. On the other hand, Oussama Benbot, who started in goal versus Austria, also turned in an unconvincing performance, conceding three goals.
The editor believes that the goalkeepers’ poor performances have not only drawn fierce criticism but also laid bare once again Algeria’s lack of reliable options in key positions at major tournaments such as the World Cup.