Morocco have suffered a blow in their preparations for the two matches against Niger, after it was confirmed that midfielder Neil El Aynaoui would be absent due to injury, prompting coach Mohamed Ouahbi to call up Samir Mourabet, the Strasbourg player, to replace him in the Atlas Lions squad.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation explained in a statement on its website this Wednesday that El Aynaoui had turned up to the training camp with ankle discomfort. The national team's medical staff then ran a thorough assessment and further tests on Tuesday.
Those results showed the midfielder would not be fit enough to play the next two matches in peak condition. So the technical staff, after talks with the player and his club, cleared him to leave the camp and continue his treatment and recovery.
Ouahbi responded by calling up Strasbourg's Samir Mourabet to cover El Aynaoui's absence, the first change to the squad ahead of the two matches against Niger.
Morocco are pressing on with their preparations at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. The players held a morning session today at 11.30am local time, working on physical, technical and tactical aspects, with a second session to follow at six in the evening.
Another session is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, at the Mohammed V Sports Complex in Casablanca from six in the evening. The first 15 minutes will be open to the media from a quarter to six.
The Atlas Lions top Group One in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with six points, beating Gabon 2-0 in the first round and Lesotho by the same score in the second.
Niger sit third on three points.
Mohamed Ouahbi had named a 26-man squad for the third and fourth round clashes with Niger on 13 and 17 November in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The list marked the return of several names and handed a call-up to AZ Alkmaar winger Ayoub Oufkir.
Morocco's squad for the two matches against Niger after the latest change reads as follows:
- Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou, Mounir El Mohammadi, Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti, Alaa Belaarouch.
- Defence: Noussair Mazraoui, Anas Salah Eddine, Sofiane El Karouani, Nayef Aguerd, Redouane Halhal, Issa Diop, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Achraf Hakimi, Ali El Maamari.
- Midfield: Ayoub Bouaddi, Samir Mourabet, Oussama Targhalline, Bilal El Khannouss, Reda Belahyane, Amine Sbai, Abdellah Ouazzane.
- Attack: Brahim Diaz, Jassim Yassine, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Ayoub Oufkir, Yassir Zabiri, Youssef En-Nesyri.
I am the Head of shifts and oversee content. I have over 15 years of experience in sports journalism. I studied media and have worked for a number of Arabic print newspapers and websites, but the most significant milestone in my career was joining Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, in 2016.
I always strive to provide reliable content, backed by numbers and statistics, free from exaggeration. I love the language of numbers because it knows no flattery. I have covered major soccer events, with a special focus on highlighting Arab soccer stars and their impact on the global stage.
Throughout my career, my work has focused on covering soccer—whether Egyptian, Arab, or international—and my interest has now shifted to Saudi soccer, following the massive boom the Kingdom has experienced over the past few years.
I’ve been connected to soccer since childhood. My first memory of the sport dates back to the 1998 World Cup. Although I was only 8 years old at the time, the excitement of the matches drew me in deeply, and I can’t forget Zinedine Zidane’s brilliance in the final and how he led the French national team to its first title in the tournament.
Brazilian Ronaldo was one of the legends who contributed to my passion for soccer at the start of this century; his goal-scoring style was amazing—he never missed in front of the goal. Then Cristiano Ronaldo emerged, and to this day I consider him my favorite player, because he inspired me with a sense of challenge and an unwavering desire to win, and this has been reflected in my writing style.
My articles focus on coverage of the Saudi Pro League, as well as other leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League. I also follow the transfer market closely and try to analyze the deals.
If you asked me what my fondest soccer memory is, I couldn’t think of anything better than the moment Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup—especially since it was our first qualification in 28 years, and the first time I’d ever seen my national team compete in the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
As for my all-time favorite lineup, it is as follows: Iker Casillas in goal. Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos, Cafu, and Roberto Carlos on defense. Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho in midfield. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldo Nazário up front.
Throughout my career, I’ve published a number of my favorite analyses and articles on Kooora, including:
A massive budget and a disappointing elimination... Why did Al Ahly fail at the Club World Cup?
Concerns over Salah’s rest and the opening of the black file... Will Liverpool regret the Firts deal?
The Benzema Law rules Al-Nassr... Ronaldo charts his future the French way
Alonso solves Klopp’s puzzle… Arnold: from defensive liability to offensive weapon
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