What Walid Regragui said at the press conference (video)

For the national coach, the comparison with the 2022 epic ends where the continental demand begins. If the world had been surprised by the Lions at the World Cup, their presence in the African semi-finals is now an obligatory step.

• The challenge: "This is one of the most important matches in our history since the semi-final in Qatar."

• The opponent: Regragui took the time to salute the consistency of Nigeria (17th semi-final), a "giant" that Morocco has not yet truly tested at this level of competition.

Despite his usual tone mixing humor and seriousness, Regragui could not hide the absence of his midfield metronome, Azzedine Ounahi. The rest of the group, however, is operational. The coach defended his management of the squad, explaining that the "controlled risks" taken during the previous matches (especially against Cameroon) have allowed him to stabilize the physical and mental condition of the rest of his key players.

When questioned about the refereeing controversies that are shaking up the tournament, the coach chose the path of dignity while listing the prejudices suffered by his players:

"We have been wronged since the beginning: El Khannouss against Mali, the blows received by Saibari and Abde... But me, I will always defend the continent. We don’t win matches through controversy, we talk on the pitch."

The objective remains unchanged: Regragui no longer hides it, he wants this AFCON to crown the "best generation" that Morocco has seen in recent years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooh6FAN8yfo