Bayer Leverkusen CEO to sue FIFA over release of Nigeria, Ivory Coast players for AFCON

Fernando Carro, the Chief Executive Officer of German Bundesliga side, Bayer Leverkusen has threatened to take legal action against the Federation of International Football Association over the prospective release of some African players for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Rolfes is unhappy that the team will be losing some of their major players to the AFCON and thus wants to take measures to stop them.

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro said that he was considering legal action to prevent Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella from representing the Super Eagles at the AFCON, citing the timing of the competition which will be held from January 13 to February 11, 2024.

Bayer Leverkusen could see their squad weakened during the AFCON, with three other players also in contention to play in the tournament, including Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso) and Amine Adli (Morocco).

“In order to change that, I will enter into a dispute with FIFA. We are also checking whether there is a legal chance of not having to release the players," Carro asserted, highlighting the club's commitment to exploring all avenues to address the matter.

But the Managing Director of the club has taken a contrary view to that of the CEO, explaining that players will be allowed to join their clubs.

Rolfes has made it clear that the aforementioned players will not be persuaded to reject a call-up for the Africa Cup of Nations, amid speculation in the media that Bayer Leverkusen want to block at least one player from attending the tournament.

"If they are called up, they will go," Rolfes said to Kicker about the five Bayer Leverkusen players in line to represent their respective countries at the AFCON.

The 2023 AFCON will be held in Ivory Coast from 13 January to 11 February 2024.

Per FIFA regulations, Bayer Leverkusen are obligated to release the African players who will be called up by their countries for the AFCON.