An African star who plies his trade in Europe has confessed to matches in Africa are "far more difficult".
VfB Stuttgart and Guinea national team striker Serhou Guirassy missed his nation's opening match against Cameroon, which ended in a 1-1 draw, but is determined to help his side as far as they can in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
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The attacker has made waves in Germany since the beginning of the 2023/24 season, scoring 17 goals in just 14 matches. The 27-year-old is second on the league's scoring chart behind Bayern Munich star Harry Kane.
Guirassy revealed that he is looking to bring the form he finds himself enjoying in Europe over to Africa, with the goal of helping his side lift the trophy.
“My personal goal is to continue in the same vein, especially since the matches in Africa are far more difficult. I strive to play good matches and help my country’s team in a good way. I aim to do well and why not win the title of this competition”, he said per CAFonline.
“Everything has been going well since we arrived in Côte d’Ivoire. We prepared well before the start of the finals, and now we must give what we have in order to pass the group stage, and we will proceed match by match in order to go as far as possible," the forward added.
While he has not prioritised being the competition's top scorer, Guirassy did not rule out the possibility. He, however, highlighted the significance of putting the team above all else.
“I did not set it as a personal ambition to work towards, and certainly if I could be the best scorer in then why not. But the team is more important, and the goal is to do well as a collective."
The attacker also praised the dedication shown by the national side's fans, and encouraged them to keep spurring on their team.
“Our fans are wonderful, and wherever we go we find them. They love football, and we will do everything. We urge them to continue rallying behind the team as we need their support for such a competition”, he concluded.
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Guinea will be in action on Friday when they clash with Group C opponents Gambia.
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