Morocco Faces Setback as Ismael Saibari Misses World Cup Quarter-Final Against France
Morocco has suffered a serious setback ahead of their World Cup quarter-final game against France. Star forward Ismael Saibari will not play after failing to recover from a hamstring injury he picked up in the previous round.
Injury Details and Impact
The Bayern Munich forward, recently signed for €50 million, was forced off the field just 22 minutes into Morocco’s 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16. Despite an MRI scan in Boston showing the strain was not severe, Saibari won’t be ready to face the tournament favourites, France, on Thursday evening.
Coach Mohamed Ouahbi Confirms Absence
Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, spoke about the situation at his pre-match press conference. He said only players who are fully fit will be chosen to play. Ouahbi remains hopeful Saibari could return later in the tournament if Morocco progresses further.
"Everyone's available, except Saibari, with the match coming too early for him, although he's not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope. Everyone's available, although we of course will only select the players who are at 100%."
Morocco Looks to Squad Depth
Saibari’s absence is tough to accept given his key role throughout the competition. He scored three important goals and netted the winning penalty against the Netherlands in the round of 32. Now, Soufiane Rahimi is expected to step up as the main striker. Coach Ouahbi trusts his squad’s depth to keep Morocco competitive and confident in causing another upset.
"When you want to go very far in a competition, you need everybody, and the players who cannot be in the starting 11 know that they have the opportunity to finish the match. We have starters, and then when others are subbed in, they can make a difference on the pitch for us. This is a positive for the group, and it’s something that gives us a lot of confidence."
Looking Ahead to the Match in Boston
The quarter-final at Boston Stadium is not just a chance to advance but also a moment for Morocco to seek revenge after losing to France in the 2022 semi-finals. The defense has been strengthened by the return of centre-back Chadi Riad, who missed the last game due to injury. Still, Morocco must deliver a perfect performance to stop Kylian Mbappe and the French side, who carry a six-game winning streak in the tournament.
