Soufiane Rahimi and Ismael Saibari injury concerns hit Morocco squad
Al Ain's Soufiane Rahimi and Bayern Munich's Ismael Saibari have sustained injuries, leaving Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi facing a major selection headache.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Bryan Berlin
The Morocco national team is facing a significant personnel crisis ahead of their upcoming November camp. Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi has been dealt a major blow following injuries to two key attacking threats.
Reports indicate that Al Ain star Soufiane Rahimi is suffering from a hamstring injury that is far from minor. The player will miss the upcoming AFC Champions League Elite clash against Saudi side Al-Ittihad. Al Ain are prioritizing his recovery, with the player undergoing an intensive treatment program; his return date remains uncertain as the club refuses to risk aggravating the issue.
Compounding the problem is the injury status of Bayern Munich midfielder Ismael Saibari, who picked up a knock during Saturday's Bundesliga encounter with Borussia Dortmund. The potential absence of both Rahimi and Saibari leaves Ouahbi with a tactical challenge to address.
According to sources within the Atlas Lions' technical staff, the team is already evaluating potential replacements. Al-Ittihad forward Youssef En-Nesyri has emerged as the primary candidate to step in should the pair be ruled out of the international break.