Napoli all-time top scorer Marek Hamsik’s late withdrawal through injury has exacerbated the talent drain when the 2018 King’s Cup kicks-off with Slovakia against the UAE.
A sense of excitement had surrounded Thursday’s first meeting in Thailand’s annual tournament. But the Whites line-up was decimated last Wednesday by the shock international exiles imposed on 2016 AFC Player of the Year Omar Abdulrahman and 2015 Asian Cup top scorer Ali Mabkhout, as the fallout from their breaking of curfew prior to January 5’s Gulf Cup final defeat to Oman continues.
This deflating situation for fans headed to Bangkok’s iconic, 49,722-capacity Rajamangala National Stadium continued this week when Hamsik, 30, revealed his absence to Slovakian media. The 103-times-capped midfielder took a kick to his thigh and was substituted in the 20th minute of Sunday’s 1-0 win against Genoa in Serie A.
He said: “Thailand is an interesting destination with interesting teams, and I’m sorry I can’t go with the boys. I have not been with them for a long time.”
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still expected to feature when Gabon face hosts Thailand in Thursday’s late game.
If the 28-year-old scores in either the opening day or Sunday’s conclusion, he will go ahead of 23-goal Theodore Nzue Nguema as his nation’s all-time leading marksman.
Thai fans will hope to see diminutive attacking midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin. He is excelling on loan at J1 League’s Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.