Naby Keita’s adviser has publicly challenged Guinea manager Paulo Duarte’s explanation for the midfielder’s continued absence from the national team.
Keita received a provisional call-up and had indicated that he was ready to return to the Syli national. However, his name was left out of Duarte’s squad for Guinea’s two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Eritrea on 12 and 16 November.
The decision prompted a strong reaction from Keita’s adviser, Thierno Amadou Makadji, after Duarte was asked about the absence of several established players, including Keita, Mohamed Bayo and Morgan Guilavogui.
Duarte said he wanted to work only with players who responded positively to his requests.
Makadji disputed that account and accused the Guinea manager of failing to provide the full picture. He also criticised Duarte for allowing doubts to emerge over Keita’s commitment to the national team.
“He has no lesson in patriotism to give Naby,” Makadji said, referring to the risks Keita took to play at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations while returning from injury.
According to comments reported by Mosaique Guinee, Makadji called on Duarte to take responsibility for his decisions rather than “hide behind excuses”. He also objected to former senior players being described as “stateless”.
The exchange marks a sharp change in tone between the two men. In September, Duarte said Keita, who plays for Ferencvaros, remained “an option” and insisted there was no problem between them.
Two months later, the disagreement has become public, with Keita’s camp and the Guinea manager presenting conflicting versions of why the midfielder remains out of the squad.
Keita has not played for the Syli national since Guinea’s Africa Cup of Nations 2023 quarter-final defeat by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 2 February 2024.
His apparent willingness to return had raised the possibility of a comeback, but the latest dispute appears to have moved that prospect further away.