Moroccan Stars Hakimi and Ben Seghir Face Off as PSG Hosts Monaco

"Family reunions" between Achraf Hakimi and Eliesse Ben Seghir? The two players of Moroccan origin will meet on Friday evening on the pitch of the Parc des Princes for a clash counting for the 21st day of the championship. If they do not share the same surname, have "not a drop of blood in common" and do not speak "the same language at first", "Achraf the Madrilenian" and "Eliesse the Tropezian" are nonetheless "of the same family", reports Le Parisien. "It’s simple, it’s a bit like they’re big brother and little brother," summarizes Salim Ben Seghir, the real elder of the Monegasque. "In the national team, they got along right away and since then, they exchange a lot with each other."

The two players appreciate each other mutually. "Eliesse, he’s a guy who can do so much damage with the ball at his feet, that if I had to choose, I’d rather we play together, things are much easier," confides the Parisian defender. The Parisian played an important role in his choice of sporting nationality. Achraf has also been a great support for the Monegasque since he joined the Atlas Lions squad. "Achraf took me under his wing and made sure to put me in the best conditions when I arrived in the national team," explains Ben Seghir. "He is benevolent with the young people and always tries to create a bond with the others. He speaks several languages, of course, that helps. His way of doing things has bonded us. Today, I can say that we have a fraternal bond, he is like my big brother, me like his little brother."

The Parisian remembers: "He was a bit shy, so I made sure to stay by his side and talk to him as much as possible," smiles the elder. "You have to be comfortable in a team to be able to express all your qualities. And him, we immediately saw that he had a lot of them."

This is not the first time that Achraf and Eliesse will face each other. In the first two clashes of the season (4-2 in L 1 at the Stade Louis-II and 1-0 in Qatar), it was the Parisian who won the victory. The Moroccan right-back of PSG therefore has a better chance of winning the duel tonight. But the Moroccan jewel of Monaco will have his say.