Naby Keita Declares Himself Fit For AFCON 2019

By Max Wise

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita says he is ready to star for Guinea in the 2019 African Cup of Nations which begins in Egypt next week.

Keita’s debut season in England was prematurely cut short after he suffered an adductor injury in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg at the Camp Nou in early May.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp announced thereafter that Keita would miss two months of action, effectively ruling him out of the African Cup of Nations which runs from June 21 to July 19.

The Guinea Football Federation however rejected Liverpool’s prognosis of the injury, insisting that it was not as serious as first feared.

Despite admitting that he is not fully fit, Keita believes he will be ready for Guinea’s final friendly game against Egypt at the weekend and their opener against Madagascar next week.

Keita told Foot 224: "I'm going to work now. I am not 100 per cent but when I was in Liverpool, I started training with the ball.

"As I'm here now I'm going to train with the team to see.

"To reassure the Guinean fans, the coach and the team-mates, I think I'll be ready for the first match."

The 24-year-old former RB Leipzig player joined Liverpool from the German outfit in July 2018 after the English club triggered his £48 million release clause.

Keita scored two goals in 25 Premier League games and a goal in six Champions League appearances in his first season in England.

Guinea begin their Nations Cup campaign against Madagascar on June 22, and they will also have to see off the challenges of Nigeria and Burundi if they are to make it out of Group B.