Morocco Coach Regragui Outlines CAN Preparation Strategy in Ivory Coast Heat

"We are very happy to have come much earlier. We were supposed to play against Gambia, but unfortunately the match was canceled at the last minute. This allowed us to gain three days to be able to adapt to the climate of San Pedro, where it is very hot. It is beneficial for the players, so that their bodies get used to the heat," Walid Regragui said in a statement to the website of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).

The Moroccan coach did not fail to thank the Federation, which has gone to great lengths to provide the best conditions for the players and the technical staff to prepare well for the CAN. Speaking of preparation, the coach said that against Tanzania next Wednesday, "the most important thing is to play this match with a full squad. We have put in place a style of play that we want to repeat at the CAN."

The friendly match against Sierra Leone on Thursday was a full-scale test for the Atlas Lions. "We tried to play at a time similar to that of our second match (at 2pm local time against DR Congo, editor’s note). We knew that the heat would be decisive to win. These are difficult conditions for our players, who have nevertheless done what was necessary, namely to win and produce an enjoyable game," Regragui specified.

And to continue: "Of course, there are still details to be corrected, but we are confident in our potential." The Moroccan coach assures that his players are determined to win this CAN, with the support of the fans. "We have supporters and a people behind us. We don’t want to disappoint them. We are all eager to relive the same emotions as during the 2022 World Cup," he said. Morocco shares Group F with Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.