Levante scramble to get Etta Eyong back after Cameroon's AFCON exit
The Granotes are racing against time to bring striker Etta Eyong back from Africa Cup of Nations duty for Sunday's crucial clash against Espanyol.
Levante are pulling out all the stops to rush striker Etta Eyong back from Africa Cup of Nations duty in time for Sunday’s crucial clash with Espanyol.
Race against the clock
Cameroon’s elimination from AFCON on Friday night has triggered a mad dash from Levante to get their man back to Valencia before the weekend’s fixture at the Ciutat de València (16:15 local time). The club are now engaged in what you might call a proper ‘dog and bone’ to sort out the logistics.
Manager Luís Castro confirmed on Saturday that the club is “doing everything so he can arrive and be with us” for the match. Despite Eyong playing just 13 minutes in Cameroon’s final tournament game, Castro believes there’s a genuine possibility of having him available for selection.
Not ideal preparation
Castro acknowledged the situation is far from perfect from a sporting perspective:
“I’ve spoken with him, and it’s clear that ideally he would train with us to understand what we’ve been working on with the team in recent days,” the gaffer explained.
The boss emphasized how important it is for Eyong to rejoin training as quickly as possible to get up to speed with the tactical demands for the Espanyol showdown.
Immediate impact potential
Despite the rushed circumstances, Castro remains confident that Eyong can make an immediate contribution:
“He’s a player who knows the team, who is important and who can be important for the match as well,” Castro noted.
Eyong’s AFCON experience proved to be a bit of a damp squib after a promising start. Following a goal-scoring full debut against Gabon, he failed to make another start in the tournament, totalling just 115 minutes across four matches.
With Levante desperate for points in their campaign, getting Eyong back in the fold could provide the boost they need against fellow strugglers Espanyol in what’s shaping up to be a proper six-pointer.