Burkina Faso is preparing to play two international friendlies against Russia and Belarus, scheduled for June 5 and June 9 in Volgograd and Minsk, respectively. However, the matches will proceed without the presence of striker Lassina Traore.
Traore, who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, has not been included in the 25-player squad despite having a successful season, in which he scored 7 goals and provided 6 assists. His exclusion has generated various reactions within the football community.
Head coach Amir Abdou clarified the situation, stating, “His absence is not down to sporting reasons. Lassina had a great season, especially towards the end. Getting into Russia with his passport is a bit complicated. We didn’t want to take any risks. We’ll miss him.”