Afcon 2021: Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira say tournament deserve more respect

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira don insist say di Africa Cup of Nations deserve more respect.

Di Senegal-born former France international dey set to lose three of im players to di tournament wen e kick off for Cameroon on 9 January.

Vieira tok dey come as tori bin dey say top clubs for Europe threaten say dem no go release their players for Afcon sake of say dem get concern over di tournament Covid-19 protocol.

For one letter wey European Club Association write give Fifa, dem say dem no fit release players if di tournament go make dia players miss dia club matches.

On Friday Cheikhou Kouyate dey named for di Senegal squad, while Ivory Coast also include Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew dey part of provisional list wey Ghana announce.

"I respect and understand di passion and di importance to players to go represent dia country so I no go ever stop any player from going to play di Africa Cup of Nations," di former-Arsenal captain tok.

"I believe say di competition need to dey more respected - becos dis competition dey as important as di European Championships."

Im also challenge more European journalists to take greater interest in di event and appreciate exactly wetin e mean for di African continent.

"E fit dey important for you guys to cover di Africa Cup of Nations a little bit more and to go to Africa and interview pipo to really understand wetin e mean for every single one of dem," im tok.

"Wen you dey talk about Senegal I no tink say pipo go really understand if (Sadio) Mane or Cheikou Kouyate no represent dia nation. If more coverage of di competition dey I tink pipo go understand more how important e be for di African continent."