Morocco coach Walid Regragui has dismissed reports that defender Nayef Aguerd is injured, stating that the centre-back is fit and ready for Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash against Mali.
“Who told you Aguerd is injured? He’s training as usual and has no problems,” Regragui said.
Regragui confirmed that captain Romain Saiss will miss the game due to a muscle injury sustained against Comoros in their tournament opener. Full-back Achraf Hakimi, recently crowned African Player of the Year, is recovering from an ankle problem sustained with Paris St Germain last month and could feature briefly. “Hakimi is doing well and we’ll make the best decision for him,” Regragui said.
The coach also praised 19-year-old defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal,
calling him “a great talent”.
“I’ve been following him for years. I called him up a year and a half ago when he was a substitute at Rennes and people criticised me. Today everyone is praising him – that shows our vision is long-term,” Regragui said. “We must not burn the player. We’ll use him at the right time. We’ll see if he starts tomorrow or comes in later.”
Ait Boudlal echoed his coach’s confidence stating, “We know the responsibility we carry. Every game is tough and requires full concentration. We listen carefully to the coach’s instructions and aim to deliver a performance that meets fans’ expectations,” he said.
“It will be a tough match against a strong team,” Regragui added.
Morocco opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Comoros and will secure qualification with a victory over Mali at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
