Galatasaray’s Hakim Ziyech Returns After AFCON Injury Setback

"Our footballer Hakim Ziyech, injured during the match between his country Morocco and Zambia in the Africa Cup of Nations and who could not continue to play, joined the team in Istanbul on Saturday, February 3, after his country’s elimination from the tournament," Galatasaray said in a statement. Substituted due to injury during the match between Morocco and Zambia (1-0), the Moroccan international was absent for the round of 16 match of the CAN Côte d’Ivoire 2023 between the Atlas Lions and the Bafana Bafana, which ended in a victory for South Africa (0-2).

"The examinations carried out on Sunday, February 4, diagnosed a sprain of the ankle (advanced sprain and rotation), resulting in tension and deformation of the internal collateral ligament, the external collateral ligament and the ankle syndesmosis, and bone edema of the bones forming the ankle," the Turkish club said.

Ziyech, who has started his rehabilitation, will therefore be sidelined. For how long? Galatasaray has not yet communicated on the duration of the former Ajax star’s absence.