Madjid Bougherra has endured a traumatic arrival in Egypt as the bus carrying the Algerian national team was attacked in Cairo. The Rangers defender was travelling with his international team-mates ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Egypt on Saturday and their coach had only just left Cairo airport when a crowd threw rocks and bricks.
The countries have a long-standing rivalry and tensions were high ahead of the tie. A diplomatic row has now erupted and the staging of the match is in doubt.
Three Algerian players are reportedly injured, though Bougherra is not on of those named. Rafik Saifi was hit on the hand while Khaled Lemmouchia and Rafik Halliche have both sustained head injuries but the severity of the injuries is not yet known.
“They struck our bus with large bricks,” defender Anthar Yahia told RMC.
"Players have open head wounds with blood. We were lying down in the bus.
“All the windows were broken. It makes you fear for your life. As long as our lives are not assured we’re afraid to play this match."
Egyptian authorities have claimed that security forces prevented the crowd from throwing any objects and deny that the bus was struck. However, the Algerians are now considering refusing to play the match.
AFA president Mohammed Rouaroa told Jazeera Sport: “No match should be plad as there is no security,” adding, “if things remain like this we will not play.”
Bougherra has missed Rangers recent matches due to injury but was determined to win his fitness battle in order to make the vital World Cup fixture. Algeria will make the finals in South Africa at Egypt’s expense if they can secure a draw in Saturday’s game.
Matches between the countries have a history of violence and reached a low in 1989 when a fight at a post-match reception saw the Eygptian team doctor blinded in one eye. Algerian star Lakhdar Belloumi was convicted of the attack in absentia and a subsequent Interpol warrant for his arrest was only dropped earlier this year.
