The Africa Cup of Nations can spark a revolution

The Africa Cup of Nations will play its 33rd edition in Cameroon this coming January, with Algeria looking to defend their crown as African champions. The tournament, which like the European Championship is being played a year later than originally scheduled, will run from January 9 until February 6, 2022.

As is the case whenever AFCON comes around, a number of European clubs are left with their heads in their hands as they are set to lose several key players during an important phase of the season. There will be some relief that the Champions League won't be impacted, as the knockout rounds don't get underway until a week after AFCON ends.

LaLiga Santander's 11 players

Six sides in Spain's top tier will have to manage AFCON-enforced absences, with Villarreal and Sevilla the hardest hit.

Villarreal will be without four players - Aissa Mandi, Boulaye Dia, Serge Aurier, and Samuel Chukwueze - while Sevilla will lose Bono, Munir El Haddadi, and Youssef En-Nesyri.

Alaves, Barcelona, Cadiz, and Real Mallorca will all lose a player each.

The earliest the players can possibly exit the tournament is on January 20, when the group stage comes to an end, which would leave LaLiga Santander sides without their stars for matchdays 20 and 21, as well as the next round of the Copa del Rey.

Should their nations reach the Round of 16, matchday 22 of LaLiga Santander and the Copa del Rey quarter-finals will be missed. AFCON's quarter-finals would have players on duty until January 29/30, and the semi-finals would keep players away until February 3/4, before the final on February 6.

A hard-hit Premier League

LaLiga Santander isn't the only league hit by AFCON, with as many as 15 Premier League clubs losing out on players.

Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah, Naby Keita, and Sadio Mane. Arsenal will miss four players, Chelsea will lose goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, Manchester City will see Riyad Mahrez depart, and other players from Crystal Palace, Leicester, and Manchester United will also set off.

Stars of other leagues as well

A lot of African players ply their trade in Ligue 1, with Achraf Hakimi perhaps the highest profile there at Paris Saint-Germain.

Napoli and AC Milan will struggle through January as Kalidou Koulibaly and Victor Osimhen headline the Partenopei's three absentees, while the Rossoneri will lose Franck Kessie and others as well. Kessie's compatriot Sebastien Haller will leave Ajax looking to replace his goals.

Bayern Munich will lose Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, and Lyon will be without Karl Toko Ekambi.