AFCON 2025: Ahead of the Mali clash, Regragui discusses the readiness of Morocco’s players
The head coach of the Moroccan national football team, Walid Regragui, said that the criticism directed at him and his players following the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations, which ended with a 2–0 victory for the Atlas Lions, is natural and must be accepted and handled with clarity and composure.
He stated: “We know that the Moroccan public always looks for perfection, and that is their right. But playing at a high level sometimes puts you in difficult situations.”
He stated: “We know that the Moroccan public always looks for perfection, and that is their right. But playing at a high level sometimes puts you in difficult situations.”
Speaking at the press conference ahead of Friday’s match against the Mali Eagles, scheduled to take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Regragui stressed the difficulty of the upcoming encounter, considering that the match will be different against a Malian side “with a strong character.” He added: “We may suffer during the game because they are technically strong.”
The national coach emphasized that the Moroccan team will approach the match with full determination in order to secure official qualification for the next round, noting:
“We are entering the second round after an important first victory, especially since it came in the opening match, which is never easy. Historically, the first game is always difficult, and the result we achieved was positive.”
He added: “We will now play the second-round match against Mali, and we will spare no effort to secure qualification.”
Regragui also put an end to rumors surrounding the health and physical condition of some players, particularly in defense, following reports of an injury to defender Nayef Aguerd of Olympique de Marseille. He confirmed that the player is training normally and is not suffering from any health issues.
In a firm tone, he said: “Who told you that Aguerd is injured? He is training normally and has no problems,” categorically denying any possibility of the Moroccan defender’s absence.
The Atlas Lions coach also addressed the situation of other players, indicating that Romain Saïss sustained a muscle injury, while stressing that “his condition is improving.”
Saïss was injured during the opening match against the Comoros, which Morocco won 2–0.
Regarding the possible return of captain Achraf Hakimi and his participation in the match, Regragui said:
“We are preparing him, he is currently in good health, and we will make the best decision for him.”
Hakimi, recently crowned African Player of the Year, had suffered an ankle injury during a UEFA Champions League match with Paris Saint-Germain last month. He resumed training last week and could feature, even for a few minutes, in Friday’s match.
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