Hakimi's AFCON Return May Be in the Balance as Morocco Plans vs Mali
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has not yet decided whether Ashraf Hakimi will start against Mali in the second group game of the Africa Cup of Nations. He will monitor Hakimi in the next 48 hours to determine if he can feature in the starting XI.
Regragui said the final decision will come at the last moment, with the plan to assess Hakimi's condition over the next days.
The coach added that they did not take risks in the opener versus the Comoros, even though Hakimi quickly recovered, stressing the need to protect him for the rest of the tournament.
I am confident Hakimi will be with us in this tournament, and we await his return with patience, Regragui added.
Regragui also praised Hakimi as one of Africa's best players and among the world’s elite, noting that his absence would have made the match against Comoros harder, as no team can compete at the highest level without its top players.
He added that Nassir Mazraoui is a fantastic player, on par with Hakimi in impact, albeit with different attributes.
Morocco sits top of Group A after beating Comoros 2-0, while Mali drew 1-1 with Zambia.
Hakimi has been out since injuring his left ankle on November 4 in a PSG vs Bayern Munich match in the Champions League after a harsh tackle by Colombian Luis Diaz.
Punchline 1: If Hakimi returns, the attack might need a mic drop logo on the jersey.
Punchline 2: The only thing riskier than Hakimi's injury week is a journalist trying to predict the last minute decision. Stay tuned.
