Espanyol manager Manolo González has expressed his surprise at the decision by the Congolese Football Association to refuse to allow players from the Democratic Republic of the Congo national team to return to their clubs following the team’s historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
This stance came after the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved an unprecedented feat not seen in over half a century, qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years following a 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the intercontinental play-off final held in Mexico.
It thus became the tenth African nation to secure a place in the tournament, where it will compete in Group H alongside Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.
During a press conference held by González ahead of the La Liga clash with Real Betis, he explained that his team faces a difficult situation due to the absence of midfielder Charles Bikel, after the Congolese Football Association refused to allow him to return to the club.
The Spanish coach said: “We have received official notification from the Congolese Football Federation confirming that international players are not permitted to leave the country at present, for reasons relating to internal restrictions. The decision does not concern Bekele alone, but applies to all national team players.”
González added that the situation is “completely unprecedented” for the Catalan club, noting that the management has already begun communicating with the Congolese Football Federation and FIFA to resolve the crisis and take the necessary legal action.
Espanyol are hoping to put an end to the run of poor results that has plagued them since the start of 2026, as they currently sit eleventh in the La Liga table with 37 points, whilst Real Betis are fifth with 44 points.
The manager concluded by emphasising that the club “has taken all the necessary official steps” and is awaiting a response from the relevant authorities to resolve this matter, which he described as “beyond our control”.
