Moroccan Star Saibari Leads PSV to Victory Over Ajax in Dutch League Clash

Saibari came on at the start of the second half, replacing Tilman, while PSV was trailing 1-2. In the 52nd minute, the Moroccan-born player received a through pass from Luuk de Jong, author of the second goal, and managed to find the net of Ramaj, giving his team the advantage (3-2). Hirving Lozano sealed the match by scoring two more goals in the 60th and 72nd minutes. In the end, PSV crushed Ajax on Sunday, with a convincing score of 5-2.

Born in Terrassa, Spain, Saibari moved to Belgium with his parents at the age of 6. Today, the young player is a Moroccan international and has played the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations with the Atlas Lions. "Roberto Martínez called me to play for Belgium. But I made my decision with my heart. My parents were born in Morocco and most of my family lives there," he tells Marca. His younger brother Akram has also just made his debut in Barcelona’s youth categories.

Saibari, 1.85 meters tall, went through Anderlecht and Genk before joining the PSV Academy in 2020. That same year, at the age of 19 years, 9 months and 4 days, he was called up to the first team under the orders of Roger Schmidt. But the young player really revealed himself last season, under the orders of Ruud van Nistelrooy, where he played 28 matches and provided two assists. With Peter Bosz this season, he has already scored two goals against Rangers (5-1).

"I feel comfortable as a ’10’. It’s true that sometimes I play as a right winger or in other positions," explains Saibari, who has just renewed his contract with PSV until 2028. The club is delighted to have him. "Ismael is not only a player with great technical abilities, he has many other qualities. He wants to learn and handles the pressure, which is why we want him to dedicate his future to PSV," said Earnest Stewart, PSV’s director, during the contract renewal ceremony.