Walid Regragui, the coach of the Moroccan national team, confirmed the readiness of the “Atlas Lions” squad to play the anticipated football epic against the Nigerian national team, in the match that will be held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, on Wednesday evening, as part of the semi-final competitions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
This encounter is of paramount strategic and historical importance, as the Moroccan national team seeks to capitalize on home advantage and the support of their fans to break the curse of absence from continental podiums that has persisted for decades since winning their only title in 1976. This match comes to confirm the continued qualitative leap that Moroccan football is experiencing, especially after the historic achievement in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, which places on Regragui and his players the responsibility of bringing joy to the Moroccan fans who are eager for a continental title.
Regragui began the press conference in his usual manner of relieving pressure on the players, addressing the fitness of key members of the squad. He jokingly told those present, "Regarding injuries, I have good news… Azzedine Ounahi will be available tomorrow… No, no, I'm just kidding, he's still injured and won't be playing." He then spoke more seriously about the condition of captain Romain Saïss, explaining that the veteran defender was showing significant improvement. He added, "We will decide on Saïss's participation tomorrow morning, but apart from Ounahi, all the players are fully prepared to deliver a performance worthy of Moroccan football.".
The national coach stressed the difficulty of the task against a tough opponent, pointing out that reaching the semi-finals in a tournament held on home soil is a double-edged sword. He said: “We are preparing for a semi-final match against a great and established team like Nigeria. We feel very proud to bring Morocco back to the semi-finals, and for me, this stage currently includes the four best teams in the African continent, and only the strongest and most focused will survive.”.
In analyzing the opponent, Regragui showed great respect for the history of the "Super Eagles," noting that Nigeria is one of the giants of the African continent and boasts a long and distinguished history in African championships, having won the title three times previously. Regragui commented, "Nigeria possesses considerable experience, and reaching the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals for the seventeenth time in its history reflects its continuity and ability to maintain a high level of competitiveness across generations, which makes the match difficult and open to all tactical possibilities.".
Regragui seized the opportunity to address the recurring controversy surrounding refereeing, expressing his displeasure at the exaggeration of refereeing errors in Africa compared to Europe. He stated, "The debate surrounding refereeing is not unique to African football; it's a global phenomenon we also see in major European leagues, though without the same intensity." He emphasized that the excessive focus on referees harms the image of African football, which is witnessing remarkable development and concerted efforts to elevate it.
Regragui concluded his remarks by emphasizing that the atmosphere within the “Lions” camp is extremely positive, and that the coaching staff has worked on preparing the players mentally and physically to overcome any pressures, including the controversy surrounding the penalty kick in the previous match against Tanzania, stressing that the focus is entirely on the green rectangle and securing passage to the dream final.
