Morocco’s Mazraoui Sidelined: Key Defender to Miss June Friendlies

Noussair Mazraoui was injured during the match against Aston Villa (2-0) in the Premier League, which forced him to leave the field in the first 20 minutes of the game. This injury to the Moroccan defender could be a relapse of his previous hamstring injury, usually requiring a long recovery period.

This injury to Mazraoui disrupts Walid Regragui’s plans as he continues to refine his list for the upcoming friendly matches against Benin and Tunisia scheduled for June. The Moroccan coach faces a real headache. Mazraoui’s unavailability adds to those of Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and Yassine Bounou, who are preparing with their respective clubs for the Club World Cup.

The Moroccan coach might also have to do without Nayef Aguerd, who has still not recovered from the injury he sustained during the King’s Cup semi-final match against Real Madrid. The Atlas Lions’ technical staff has contacted Real Sociedad’s medical team to assess the severity of the injury and determine the central defender’s participation in these two friendly matches.

RC Lens midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, who recently agreed to wear the Moroccan jersey, will also be unavailable against Benin and Tunisia due to the injury he suffered during the last Ligue 1 match. Morocco will face Tunisia in a friendly on June 6, then Benin on June 9 at the Fez Sports Complex. Kick-off for both matches is at 9 PM (Moroccan time).