METRO
Onana has faced criticism after he delayed meeting up with his Cameroon teammates ahead of the tournament in order to continue playing for United.
The 27-year-old, who was signed in a £47.2 million deal from Inter last summer, was in goal for United’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford on Sunday.
He then boarded a private jet to the Ivory Coast later on Sunday evening, however, his plane was forced to land in Abidjan due to fog in Yamoussoukro, the city where Cameroon’s AFCON opener is being played.
The adverse weather conditions in Yamoussoukro left Onana stranded around 150 miles away with just hours before kick off.
The United goalkeeper made it to the Charles Konan Banny Stadium before the match started but was left out of Cameroon’s matchday squad entirely.
It’s understood that the decision to omit Onana from the team’s opening fixture in Group C against Guinea was made in agreement with Cameroon’s Football Association before the tournament began.
Fabrice Ondoa, who was part of Cameroon’s AFCON-winning squad in 2017 and is Onana’s cousin, starts the tournament in goal for Rigobert Song’s side.
‘It’s out of order from both sides,’ Bassong told the BBC.
‘It’s disrespectful from Manchester United to request Onana to do such a thing and it’s really low from Onana to even consider it.
‘It sends such a bad message for not only Cameroon, but for the respect that people will have for AFCON and the way they should treat us.
‘If we can’t even respect ourselves, how can we expect other people to treat us any different? For me, Andre Onana is shooting us and himself in the foot.
