Smart Shield: PSG’s Clever Plan to Protect Hakimi After AFCON Shock

AFCON Final Fallout

Morocco's players are still grappling with the heartbreak of the AFCON final against Senegal, a 1-0 defeat that will take time to fade.

Indeed, all eyes are on Ibrahim Diaz, the Real Madrid midfielder who missed the decisive penalty that could have clinched the title for his country, but Ashraf Hakimi, PSG's star, has endured a difficult spell.

According to Le Parisien, PSG officials recognize that managing Hakimi in the coming days will be pivotal; he joined the squad last Wednesday but did not feature vs Auxerre.

Protecting Hakimi: A Calculated Pause

PSG's priority is shielding the Moroccan winger; there has been no visible return on social media or through official club press as a deliberate strategy to avoid extra pressure or mockery.

Louis Enrique, PSG's coach, spoke to Hakimi to assess his mental state after AFCON, which ended badly for Morocco's Lions of the Atlas.

There is a psychological dimension as well as a physical one; the staff do not want to rush him back to feature in the Champions League.

It is unlikely Hakimi will start against Newcastle in the upcoming CL clash; the focus remains on calm and cautious integration, with Hakimi's return anticipated as a strong addition to the squad.

Punchline (sniper-style): If patience were a formation, PSG would field a 1-0-0 defense and still win the trophy for restraint.

Punchline (sniper-style): If calm had a premier league, Hakimi would lift the trophy before the whistle blows, because duels are won in the head as much as on the pitch.