The African Cup of Nations can be a thrilling period for African nations, yet for European coaches, it brings about a considerable challenge as they temporarily part with valued players. In England, for instance, 17 out of the 20 teams will see one or more players absent not only due to the AFCON but also the AFC Asian Cup. The three English teams exempt from player losses in these tournaments are Burnley, Manchester City, and Newcastle United. Many pundits expect that this presents an opportune moment for Manchester City to narrow the gap on the top spot following a relatively sluggish start. Think Pep Guardiola will take advantage of this and go on a title-retaining run, especially with star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne back to fitness? **BetKing** has the best odds for this among all betting sites.
A reported 110 players will be absent from European teams because of the AFCON, with **Nottingham Forest** one of the most affected clubs. Newly appointed manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, will be without six key players. This includes the **Ivory Coast** trio of **Serge Aurier,** **Willy Boly,** and **Ibrahim Sangare,** the **Senegalese** duo **Cheikhou Kouyaté and Moussa Niakhate,** and **Nigerian** full-back **Ola Aina.** To mitigate the impact of the AFCON, some teams have resorted to unconventional arrangements. An example is the agreement between **Manchester United** and **Cameroon** to keep goalkeeper **Andre Onana** until the 14th, enabling him to play in their match against Tottenham. With Cameroon set to play Guinea the next day, this unique arrangement might see Andre Onana taking part in two games on two continents within a 24-hour span. Here are some teams most affected by the AFCON: **In The EPL…** **Liverpool** , while losing only one player to the AFCON, faces a significant absence that could have a substantial impact. **Mo Salah (Egypt)** has been a powerhouse for the team, contributing 18 goals and 9 assists in 27 games. His absence, as he represents Egypt in the AFCON, poses a challenge for Liverpool, especially considering their current 3-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Salah’s potential involvement in the AFCON finals, based on his track record, could cause him to miss up to 7 games for Jurgen Klopp, including crucial fixtures against Arsenal (both at the Emirates), tricky encounters with Fulham, and a home clash against Chelsea at Anfield.
In the previous AFCON, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain successfully filled the void as a wide-right player in Salah’s absence. For the upcoming AFCON, Klopp may turn his attention to summer signing Dominik Szoboszlai as a replacement. Szoboszlai, who has played as a right-winger in 27 career appearances, has impressively recorded 11 goals and eight assists in that position. Liverpool, who will also be without **Wataru Endō (Japan)** due to the AFC Asian Cup, will look to navigate this period without Salah with the aim of maintaining their lead in the Premier League standings. Another team that could have it tough over the next few weeks is Tottenham. Having already battled with injuries over the past two months, they will be without **Pape Sarr (Senegal) and Yves Bissouma (Mali)** but also club captain, **Heung-Min Son (South Korea)** due to the AFC Asian Cup. **Wolves** are having a fine season, but they could lose some momentum over the next month with **Hee-Chan Hwang (South Korea),** **Justin Hubner (Indonesia),** **Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria) and Boubacar Traore (Mali)** all unavailable because of AFC Asian Cup and AFCON commitments. **In the Bundesliga…** The timing of the AFCON couldn’t be more challenging for **Bayer Leverkusen** in the Bundesliga. Considered one of the season’s surprises, they stand out as the only team in Europe’s top five leagues that has yet to suffer a defeat in all competitions. Holding a four-point lead over Bayern Munich in the standings, although Bayern has a game in hand, Leverkusen faces the setback of being without one of their standout summer signings, **Victor Boniface (Nigeria).** Boniface, currently leading the team in both goals (16) and assists (8), is a key contributor, and his absence poses a potential obstacle for the team. However, there is a silver lining for Xabi Alonso and Leverkusen, as Patrik Schick has recently returned to the squad. The Czech forward, with six goals in eight games this season, is a proven starter in the league and is expected to fill in for Boniface in the starting lineup during his absence. Taking this into consideration, one of our betting tips for the online sports betting community suggests that Bayer Leverkusen will maintain their lead and secure the Bundesliga title, and we are offering high odds for this prediction.
Another team that could struggle because of the AFCON is **Stuttgart**, who will be without **Serhou Guirassy (Guinea).** Guirassy has had an outstanding start to the Bundesliga campaign, scoring an impressive 17 goals in just 14 appearances for Stuttgart. His remarkable contributions make him an irreplaceable asset for the team, and his absence during the AFCON could present a significant hurdle for Stuttgart who could slide down from their 3rd spot. **In the Serie A** The AFCON is unlikely to affect the title race in Italy, as the top two teams, Inter and Juventus, do not have players taking part in the tournament. Lazio is also fortunate as they won’t be missing any players. However, the scenario becomes more complex for other teams. **Napoli** has struggled this season and find themselves in 8th. Retaining the title is already out of the question, and a more realistic target for them is making the top 4. However, with star striker **Victor Osimhen (Nigeria)** set be absent, things could get even worse. Several other teams will also be affected, including AS Roma with **Evan N’Dicka (Ivory Coast)** and **Houssem Aouar (Algeria),** **Milan** missing **Ismael Bennacer (Algeria)** and **Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria),** and **Atalanta** without **Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)** and **El Bilal Touré (Mali).** Despite potential disruptions to the mid-table, there is no significant expected impact on the top of the table. Our prediction remains with Inter winning the Scudetto, and we offer the best odds for this outcome.
**In LaLiga** In Spain, the AFCON is unlikely to affect the title race as all four major contenders—Real Madrid, Girona, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid—do not have key players taking part in the tournament. **Atletico Madrid’s Reinildo Mandava (Mali),** who has only played one league game this season, and **Girona’s Ibrahima Kébé (Mali),** with just two league appearances, are not considered integral to their respective teams. Therefore, the absence of these players is not expected to significantly affect their performance. However, some teams with aspirations for a European spot may face challenges in January. **Atletico Bilbao,** currently in 5th place, will miss striker **Iñaki Williams (Ghana),** while 6th place **Real Sociedad** will be without **Hamari Traore (Mali)** and **Umar Sadiq (Nigeria),** as well as forward **Takefusa Kubo (Japan)** due to the AFC Asian Cup. 7th place Real Betis could also be without **Riad Chadi and Abde Elzzalzouli (both from Morocco) and Youssouf Sabaly (Senegal).** This situation might provide Getafe (currently 8th) with an opportunity to leapfrog them for a European spot, and our bet prediction leans in that direction. [Register on BetKing](https://m.betking.com/account/registration) to get value for your money by betting on football matches today.