Portsmouth defender Djimi Traore has been excluded from the Mali squad for the African Cup of Nations.

The former Liverpool man, who was first dropped after missing two qualifiers to go on holiday in June, has not made the preliminary 28-man squad that will be trimmed down to 23 for the finals in January and February.

Coach Jean Francois Jodar has meanwhile given a recall to Auxerre defender Sammy Traore, whose last game was also in October 2006, and to Sekou Berthe, who had been suspended.

French-born Oumar Sissoko, who has played a single game for Metz, has been called up for the first time and is one of just two goalkeepers named in the squad. Also in the squad for the first time are 18-year-old Nice midfielder Mahamane Traore and Amiens striker Bakaye Traore.

Mali, who have been drawn in Group B with Benin, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, plan to hold a training camp in the United Arab Emirates from January 7th.

Squad:

Mahamadou Sidibe (PAS Giannina), Oumar Sissoko (Metz); Sekou Berthe (Panionios), Adama Coulibaly (Lens), Moussa Coulibaly (Mouloudia Alger), Souleymane Diamoutene (Lecce), Fousseyni Diawara (St Etienne), Cedric Kante (Nice), Boubacar Sidiki Kone (Maghreb Fes), Eric Sekou Chelle (Valenciennes), Adama Tamboura (Helsingborg), Sammy Traore (Auxerre); Soumaila Coulibaly (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Drissa Diakite (Nice), Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Alphousseini Keita (Le Mans), Seydou Keita (Sevilla), Djibril Sidibe (Chateauroux), Momo Sissoko (Liverpool), Bassala Toure (Levadiakos), Mahamane Traore (Nice); Mamadou Diallo (Qatar SC), Mahamadou Dissa (Roeselare), Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla), Modibo Maiga (Le Mans), Mamady Sidibe (Stoke City), Bakaye Traore (Amiens), Dramane Traore (Lokomotiv Moscow).

Eurosport