National coach Vahid Halilhodzic refuses to talk about Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazraoui any longer, he said during the announcement of the selection for the World Cup qualifying match with Congo. On Sunday, federation chairman Fouzi Lekjaa reported that the two were close to the provisional selection, but the Ajax right back and the Chelsea attacker then each published a statement, in which they indicated that they would not be available for the play-offs for a World Cup ticket.
For the first time in a year and a half, Ziyech and Mazraoui were again in the pre-selection of the Lions of the Atlas† However, they immediately indicated that they did not want to return to the national team of Morocco. “I often speak with the federation chairman. Ziyech and Mazraoui were on the list. They chose to decline the invitation. We respect that choice, now it’s done. I will never talk about them again. I focus on my group and the players who have been called up,” national coach Halilhodzich said at a press conference.
There is no place for Eredivisie players in the final selection of the national coach for the duel with Congo. Souffian El Karouani (NEC) and Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ) were still active in the Africa Cup, but did not survive the last selection for the World Cup qualifiers. Morocco will play the first leg on March 25, the return will be played on March 28. The winner of the diptych secures a ticket for the World Cup in Qatar.
Morocco squad:
Target: Yassine Bounou (Seville), Munir El Kajoui (Hatayspor), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad Casablanca)
Defense: Romain Saïss (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Nayef Aguerd (Stade Rennes), Soufiane Chakla (OH Leuven), Yawad El Yamiq (Real Valladolid), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Adam Masina (Watford), Sofiane Alakouch (FC Metz) , Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros), Yahia Attiyat Allah (Wydad Casablanca)
Midfield: Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina), Fayçal Fajr (Sivasspor), Yahya Jabrane (Wydad Casablanca), Imrân Louza (Watford), Ilias Chair (Queens Park Rangers), Selim Amallah (Standard Liège), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers)
Attack: Sofiane Boufal (SCO Angers), Youssef En-Nesyri (Seville), Tarik Tissoudali (AA Gent), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros), Ez Abde (Barcelona), Munir El Haddadi (Seville), Ayoub El Kaabi (Hatayspor)