Hugo Broos denies sinister reasoning behind Zakhele Lepasa’s withdrawal

Broos was responding to media and social media reports over something sinister that led to Lepasa’s withdrawal from camp just a day after Bafana were held to a goalless draw by Eswatini at FNB Stadium last Friday. 

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Upon the team’s arrival in Abidjan, where they face Ivory Coast in an international friendly on Tuesday evening, the Bafana medical team confirmed a knee injury was behind the 26-year-old’s departure from camp, which Broos maintains.

"I was surprised and, again, a little bit angry when I read in the media that there was a clash between me and Lepasa – this is a very, very big lie," said Broos.

"There has never been a clash, the only thing that Lepasa suffers from is his knee [injury] after the game from Friday, and it became worse overnight.

"So, we decided, together with the doctor, that it was better [for him] not to go to Ivory Coast because he certainly wouldn't play the game here on Tuesday – he wouldn't be ready so, therefore, he went [back] to his club."

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Broos says the misleading information is merely people trying to be negative.

"I can show an MRI [scan result] so the proof is there, but yeah, okay, in South Africa they always try to look for something negative. Let's repeat again, there has been no clash between me and Lepasa," he concluded.

Bafana will face Ivory Coast in a second international friendly in Abidjan on Tuesday evening, with the LIVE broadcast available on SABC Sport from 20:30.