Saiss Laments Morocco’s Draw with Mali and Updates on His Comeback

Saiss laments Mali stalemate and shares injury updates

Morocco captain Romain Saiss expressed disappointment after the 1-1 draw with Mali on Friday, in the second group-stage match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, and he also discussed the latest on his return to action following injury.

Saiss told reporters, "I am following my recovery protocol, slowly I feel better, and I started returning to the pitch as of yesterday... I will return gradually, God willing, and I hope that will be as soon as possible."

He added, "We are disappointed with the result, because we love competing and winning every match... but we faced a very strong team, who were also fast on counterattacks... they have a large number of quality players... so, unfortunately, when the score was 1-0 we could not seal the game."

The Atlas Lions will finish the group stage with a match against Zambia, the day after tomorrow, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Note: Saiss is seen as a key figure for Morocco’s defense and a focal point in their buildup play as they push to secure a favorable finish in the group.

Sniper-style punchline #1: If his comeback speed counted as goals, Saiss would already be topping the charts. Sniper-style punchline #2: In football, patience is a virtue—fortunately for fans, Saiss’s comeback is the prettiest episode in this drama series.