Egypt and Algeria are scheduled to play a friendly on Monday in Abu Dhabi as part of their preparations for next year's Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in January in Cote d'Ivoire.

Speaking at the pre-match news conference on Sunday, Belmadi stated, "The game against Egypt is a friendly game, but it holds great importance for us."

He further added, "I have been eager to face Egypt. They are a good team. We have played against top-flight teams from the continent, except Egypt, so I am keen to test ourselves against them."

Belmadi also expressed his hope for the game to be held in Cairo, as it would add more pressure on his team.

Belmadi, who guided Algeria to victory in the 2019 Nations Cup, praised the Egyptian team, labeling the Pharaohs as one of the best teams in the continent.

"Egypt, with their record of seven-time African champions, is a very strong team, despite their recent unfavorable results," Belmadi said.

He continued, "They are among the best teams in the continent. They reached the Nations Cup final, losing on penalties, and were also eliminated by Senegal in the World Cup playoffs, again on penalties."

Meanwhile, Algeria skipper, Riyad Mahrez, stated on Sunday that his team is prepared for the friendly match against Egypt, emphasizing its importance as a crucial step in Algeria's preparations for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

"Our preparations for the friendly against Egypt are proceeding as usual, and we are fully prepared for the game," Mahrez said during the pre-match news conference.

He added, "This match is a significant milestone in our journey towards the Africa Cup of Nations, where winning the title is our primary target."

Algeria, who claimed the title twice in 1990 and 2019, was expected to defend their title in 2021. However, they were surprisingly eliminated from the group stage, finishing at the bottom of their group.

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