Shams Eddine El Alali has come through surgery successfully after the severe facial injury he suffered in Wydad Casablanca's friendly against Difaa El Jadida.
Moroccan website "Hespport" reported that the young player sustained three facial fractures, requiring surgical intervention across three stages. All went well, and there was relief within the club that the operation passed without any declared complications.
Wydad expect El Alali to miss training for up to two weeks before he begins a gradual return. Much will depend on how his condition develops and how he responds to the rehabilitation programme he'll undergo under the supervision of the medical staff.
For the son of former Moroccan international Redouane El Alali, the injury is a significant blow. He had been determined to make the most of this period, prove his abilities and force his way into the calculations of the red side's technical staff.
Hoping to keep working and developing within Wydad's ranks, El Alali instead finds himself sidelined from training and competition, waiting to rebuild his fitness and return to the pitch.
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His recovery will be monitored closely by the club's medical staff, who are wary of rushing him back and risking complications that could affect his sporting future.
Sanctions hit Kawkab Marrakech duo after the clash
Elsewhere, the disciplinary committee of the National Professional Football League handed down its verdict on the scenes at the end of the match between Kawkab Marrakech and Wydad Riadhi, which boiled over into an altercation between Marrakech players Amine El Waad and Hamza El Ismaili.
The committee suspended both players for one match and fined each of them 10,000 dirhams for the clash that erupted after the final whistle.
Kawkab Marrakech had beaten Wydad 2-1 in the seventh round of the Moroccan professional league. It was a lively contest on the pitch, and the tension carried on well beyond the final whistle.
These sanctions land at an important moment for Kawkab Marrakech, who are flying in the domestic competition. They top the standings with 16 points, two clear of third-placed Wydad Riadhi on 14, and ahead of second-placed Meknes on goal difference.
Marrakech now face the extra challenge of coping without their suspended players as they bid to hold on to top spot and keep their strong run going. Wydad, meanwhile, await the return of their injured man as they look to close the gap on the leaders.
