Burkina Faso national team stranded in Morocco: Argentina match under threat of cancellation

He is demanding a private jet

Tomorrow's friendly between Argentina and Burkina Faso hangs in the balance. An unexpected delay has held up the African side's arrival in Buenos Aires.

Burkina Faso's delegation was due in the Argentine capital on 30 September. Instead, they remained stuck in Casablanca as of three o'clock on Friday afternoon, with no clarity over when they might leave.

The Burkinabé federation blamed "a sudden cancellation by the airline of the scheduled flight", which forced a reshuffle of the travel plans. Matching sources tell a different story. The crisis runs deeper than a logistical glitch.

According to Argentine newspaper "Olé", two issues sit at the heart of it:

First, the players are refusing to board a long, draining commercial flight, as the Benin team did. They want a private chartered plane instead, just as Mauritania secured last March.

Second comes a demand for a financial bonus. Sources across the African continent say the deal signed with the organising company covers only travel and accommodation, with nothing extra for facing the world champions. The players now want that compensation.

The Burkinabé government has stepped in directly. The federation confirmed that Sports Minister Annick Ouattara, federation president Omar Souadogo and the country's ambassador to Morocco Mamadou Koulibaly are all personally working to find a solution.

Argentina's federation is tracking it all closely. They expect the 62nd-ranked Burkina Faso side to land on Saturday afternoon and play on schedule, with the delegation set to leave Casablanca on Friday night.