Goalkeeper Andre Onana has been removed from Cameroon’s World Cup squad for ‘disciplinary reasons’ ahead of their clash with Serbia on Monday.
The Inter Milan star’s dismissal is believed to have come after a shouting match with manager Rigobert Song over the keeper’s style of play.
He will be replaced by Devis Epassy in goal, who plays his club football for Abha in Saudi Arabia and has made just five international appearances.
The game is a vital one in Cameroon’s tournament, as a loss would leave them needing Switzerland to beat Brazil to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage.
While the exact cause of Onana’s dismissal is not known, it is believed to have come after an argument with manager Rigobert Song over the team’s tactics.
According to reports from Helena Condis Edo, Onana sees his relationship with the team as ‘irreversible’ despite attempts from Cameroon Football Federation president, and legendary striker, Samuel Eto’o to mediate peace talks.
Marca claim the argument came after Song shouted at the keeper during training for taking too many risks playing with his feet, and Onana refused to change his game.
Onana’s dismissal means he will miss out on a reunion with his former Ajax teammate Dusan Tadic, who could be a key player in the game as he looks to feed Aleksandar Mitrovic.
The Cameroon keeper played with Tadic in Holland for four years before leaving for Inter Milan over the summer, where he has struggled to secure regular football.