Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri has been sent home from international duty with Algeria following an apparent bust-up with a coach during a match.
Footage on social media showed the defender angrily confronting a member of the coaching staff while he was on the bench during Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Zambia on Friday (September 25). Ait-Nouri was unhappy after being left on the bench, and a team-mate attempted to calm him down as he remonstrated with a coach.
Federation confirms release
The Algerian Football Federation has since confirmed he has been released from the squad and will return to Manchester City.
A statement read: "The national coach, Mr Brahim Hemdani decided this Saturday to release the player Rayan Ait-Nouri from the current training camp of the national team. The Algerian international will return to his club, Manchester City."
Limited game time at City
The full-back has also struggled for minutes at club level with City, having made just two appearances this season, with only one of those coming in the starting side. His start came in City's 5-0 win over Norwich in the Carabao Cup, while he also made a 15-minute cameo in the Champions League against Porto.
Ait-Nouri had been at the centre of a Transfer Deadline Day rumour that he could move across the city to Manchester United. Michael Carrick's team made eleventh-hour deadline day contact with City regarding a potential transfer for the left-back, but the Blues refused to entertain any approach.
The 25-year-old only arrived at City last summer in a £36million switch from Wolves and, despite his limited game time, the Blues showed zero interest in parting ways with the defender.
