Regragui’s Injury Update Creates Buzz as Morocco Braces for Mali Clash

Injury update and lineup concerns

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui said he is awaiting the correct diagnosis for captain Romain Saiss after he felt something in his knee during the AFCON opener against Comoros, hoping the issue is not serious.

Speaking at a press conference after a 2-0 win against Comoros in the AFCON opener in Morocco, he said: "We are awaiting the correct diagnosis, Saiss felt something in his knee, we don’t know yet if it’s a muscle issue or something else, we hope it’s not serious and we can have him back in the tournament."

In the 18th minute Saiss had to be substituted by Jawad El Yamiq as a precaution, the manager added that Saiss is an experienced pillar, and his absence would be felt but we have alternatives in El Yamiq and Adam Masina. He also stressed that Saiss is a veteran whose leadership will help the team throughout the tournament, noting Hakimi’s own injury problems as part of the larger squad equation.

Reflecting on the first half against Comoros, Regragui said: "As expected, it was a tough opening match with nerves as we waited for this moment for two years."

He continued: "The scenario added pressure for us, with a missed penalty and Saiss’s injury. We thought, this isn’t our day, but with our spirit and patience we managed to reach our objective."

He added that Morocco had most of the ball in the first half but improved after the break, noting that Comoros ran well and tired in the second half.

Regragui then highlighted the attacking work: "We pressed from the wings and scored twice, including a wonderful strike by Ayoub El Kaabi; we could have had a third."

Concluding, he said: "Our aim is not to show our readiness from the start; the tournament is long and every match must be treated individually. Our match against Mali on Friday will be different, as they have high-quality players, and perhaps our possession will be lower—this will be a real test for us."

Punchline 1: If patience were a tactic, Regragui just pressed auto-win.

Punchline 2: Mali might bring the stars, but Morocco’s bench is longer than a transfer window — and yes, the suspense will stream live.