Three Moroccan Stars Spark a Fresh Blueprint as Saktioui Plans After Egypt Friendly

New blueprint emerges after Egypt friendly

According to Kooora’s private sources, Tarik Saktioui, the coach of the Moroccan reserve side, is set to implement a fresh blueprint to satisfy the ambitions of three leading Moroccan clubs as they navigate a busy continental month ahead.

The plan centers on integrating players from Renaissance de Berkane, AS FAR (the Royal Army), and Wydad Athletic Club into the reserve squad, following the recent friendly against Egypt to better prepare for looming continental challenges this month.

Clubs have requested the return of their players from the reserve team after the Egypt game to ready themselves for high-stakes ties on the African stage this month.

Renaissance de Berkane and AS FAR are set to compete in the CAF Champions League, while Wydad Casablanca is contesting the CAF Confederation Cup, underscoring why the reserve squad is being shaped with a clear, competitive purpose.

Within the reserve ranks, seven players come from AS FAR, five from Berkane, and two from Wydad, alongside several others from the Moroccan setup, all forming a tighter, more competitive pool.

The Moroccan reserve team is scheduled to face Egypt’s second national team on Thursday, followed by a Kuwait friendly in Dubai next Tuesday, as part of a broader preparation cycle.

There is a broader strategic objective behind this arrangement: to ensure the reserve group remains in rhythm with the demands of Africa’s top competitions and to maintain squad depth across clubs that rely on a deep talent pool.

As for Berkane, the squad’s early long-haul travel toward Egypt is planned to help them gear up for the African Super Cup against Al-Ahly in a few weeks, while AS FAR and Wydad prepare to sprint through knockout stages in their respective African journeys.

Tarik Saktioui is aligned with club chiefs who want their first-team players back promptly after the Egypt fixture, so they can rejoin their teams with minimal disruption.

Osama Al-Malwi is noted as a key absence from the reserve group due to an injury that will keep him sidelined for the Arab Cup, with a recovery window of at least three weeks, as confirmed by medical staff and club communications.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Munir Al-Mahmedia will join his club after Morocco’s match against the Congo, with the squad’s travel and match plans continuing to unfold around these call-ups and releases.

The reserve unit is also experiencing a lag in domestic fixtures, as Berkane’s campaign in the Moroccan league has been unsettled, gathering results that have allowed Wydad and AS FAR to close the gap in the early standings.

Despite the shakeups, the three clubs share a common aim: to optimize the reserve squad’s performance ahead of Africa’s knockout rounds and the Arab Cup’s group phase, with selections announced primarily through the Moroccan Football Federation’s official channels to keep opponents guessing.

As the Arab Cup draw places Morocco in a tough, intriguing group alongside Saudi Arabia and either Oman or Somalia, and Yemen or Comoros, anticipation grows for how the reserve and senior teams will balance preparation with travel and competition.

The Arab Cup’s opening match in Qatar is slated for December 1, with the tournament running through December 18, and Morocco’s group-stage trajectory will be critical to their continental ambitions.

The federation has emphasized keeping plans discreet, delaying public disclosure of training details and even postponing television broadcasts of the friendlies to maintain strategic advantage before the Arab Cup and CAF events.

In short, Saktioui’s blueprint leverages the strengths of three major clubs and a tightly controlled listing to maximize depth and readiness for Africa’s toughest tests, while keeping the rest of us guessing which players will be released back to their parent clubs when it counts most.

The traditional secrecy remains

Saktioui’s approach has long been to keep trainings and selections under wraps, with the official federation site serving as the only public outlet for the squad list, and with friendlies staged behind closed doors and without live TV coverage.

Meanwhile, the federation and the clubs remain aligned on the objective: winning the Arab Cup in Qatar, with group-stage matches from late November and a knockout phase to follow, as 16 teams split into four groups battle for a place in the quarterfinals in a winner-takes-all format.

The opening ceremony and matchups are set, and Morocco’s representation in the Arab Cup is highlighted by the paradox of secrecy versus the spotlight of international football, with Saktioui steering a cautious, calculated plan toward continental glory.

Secret, strategic, and bold

The plan’s core remains: maintain secrecy, accelerate integration of reserve players into senior squad duties, and strike a swift balance between club commitments and national team opportunities, all while an eye is kept on the Arab Cup and CAF rhythm that dominates the horizon.

As always, observers will be watching how this tactical pivot plays out on the field, how quickly players from multiple competing clubs settle into a common rhythm, and whether the reserved approach translates into meaningful results on Africa’s biggest stages.

And if all goes well, Tarik Saktioui may well have written the blueprint for a generation that can juggle club loyalty, continental ambition, and a dash of theatrical secrecy—without losing sleep over it, or the ball finding the back of the net.