Franck Kessié reveals Ivory Coast ready to defend AFCON title

Ivory Coast captain captain Franck Yannick has issued a roaring statement that their intention in Morocco is to retain the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

The Elephants, who beat Nigeria in the last edition to lift the trophy, have been drawn in Group F alongside Mozambique, Cameroon, and Gabon. They will open their campaign against the Mambas on Tuesday at Stade de Marrakech.

Speaking ahead of the opener, the midfielder expressed calm, determination and confidence going into the game.

Ivory Coast really looking forward to AFCON opener

“It is going very well. As we mentioned earlier at the press conference, we have worked seriously and we feel ready. We are really looking forward to getting our campaign underway tomorrow (Tuesday),” he told CAFOnline.com.

“We have a lot of respect for Mozambique. They are a solid team that plays without fear. But we also know what we want to do. Football is about being able to seize opportunities and score when they arise. We want to impose our game while remaining disciplined.”

He added: “We worked on every aspect — technically, mentally and physically. The goal was to be ready not only on the pitch but also off it. In a competition like AFCON, mental management and team cohesion are just as important as tactical work.”

On whether Ivory Coast will be under pressure in Morocco, Kessié responded: “That’s normal. We are a team everyone wants to beat, and that inevitably brings extra pressure.

“But we took that into account from the start of our preparation. We know what it represents and we have worked to be ready to handle that responsibility.”

After playing Mozambique, the African champions will next face Cameoon before winding up their preliminary matches against Gabon on Wednesday, December 31.