Inter Milan Blocks Hakimi from Morocco Duty Amid COVID-19 Concerns

20 March 2021 – byGinette · 1 min read

Inter Milan has stated that the decision to prevent Achraf Hakimi from joining Morocco is purely for health reasons. The Moroccan international is considered a contact case of Stefan de Vrij and Matias Vecino, two Inter players, who recently tested positive for Coronavirus.

The announcement that has reduced the hopes of the national coach was made by Inter Milan on Thursday, March 18. Since Stefan de Vrij and Matias Vecino are already in quarantine at their homes, all contacts are required to comply with the protocol in force in such cases.

Following this unexpected event, the club has decided that all players called up by their respective national teams should abstain. Vahid Halilhodzic denounced, Thursday in a press conference, the "terrible pressure" exerted by the European clubs on the international players.

He stresses that he will be "intransigent" if any of the called-up players do not show up on Monday at the gathering place, considering that it will be a refusal to represent his country internationally and will make decisions accordingly.

The Atlas Lions face Mauritania on March 26, then Burundi on March 28, as part of the 5th and 6th rounds of the 2020 CAN qualifiers.

Category: Sport

Keywords:

Football Atlas Lions Achraf Hakimi Vahid Halilhodzic Coronavirus in Morocco (Covid-19) Moroccans stranded abroad