Tunisia announce 26-man AFCON squad

Tunisia national team Head Coach Georges Leekens has named a provisional squad of 26 players as the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) looms.

The Carthage Eagles start their preparations on Friday 2 – 8 January 2015 in Monastir before playing Algeria in a friendly match on Sunday 11 January in Rades, Tunisia.

Full squad:

The 2004 AFCON champions will again face Mali in another friendly on Tuesday 13 January in Gabon on their way to Equatorial Guinea. They were pooled in Group B alongside Zambia, DR Congo and Cape Verde.

Goalkeepers: Moez Ben Cherifia (Espérance de Tunis), Farouk Ben Mustapha (Club Africain), Aymen Mathlouthi (Etoile du Sahel)

Defenders: Mohamed Ali Yaâkoubi (Espérance de Tunis), Aymen Abdennour (Monaco), Rami Bedoui (Etoile du Sahel), Syam Ben Youssef (Astra), Ali Maâloul (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Hamza Mathlouthi (CA Bizertin), Bilel Mohsni (Glasgow Rangers), Slim Ben Jemai (Stade Lavallois), Yassine Mikari (Club Africain)

Midfielders: Yassine Chikhaoui (FC Zürich), Stéphane Nater (Club Africain), Mohamed Ali Moncer (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Houcine Ragued (Espérance de Tunis), Ferjani Sassi (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Jamel Saihi (Montpellier), Wahbi Khazri (Bordeaux), Anis Ben Hatira (Hertha Berlin)

Forwards: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Saber Khelifa (Club Africain), Hamza Younes (Ludogorets Razgrad), Youssef Msakni (Lekhwiya), Amine Chermiti (FC Zürich), Yoann Touzghar (RC Lens).