Ismael Saibari Out for Morocco’s Quarter-Final Clash

Morocco’s star forward Ismael Saibari ruled out of World Cup quarter-final against France due to a hamstring injury.

In a significant setback for Morocco, star forward Ismael Saibari will miss the team’s crucial World Cup quarter-final match against France on Thursday evening due to a hamstring injury. This injury, sustained in the previous round, has left the Atlas Lions to adjust their strategies ahead of their challenging encounter with the tournament favorites.

Saibari, who recently signed with Bayern Munich for €50 million, was forced to leave the pitch just 22 minutes into Morocco’s 3-0 victory over Canada in the round of 16. Although medical scans conducted in Boston indicated that the strain is not severe, it has come too soon for Saibari to participate in the highly anticipated match.

Morocco’s head coach, Mohamed Ouahbi, confirmed the unfortunate news during a pre-match press conference. He emphasized the importance of selecting players who are fully fit, expressing hope that Saibari will be able to return later in the tournament if the team progresses. “Everyone’s available, except Saibari,” Ouahbi said. “The match is coming too early for him, although he’s not out for the rest of the tournament, I hope. We will only select the players who are at 100%.”

Saibari’s absence is particularly hard on the team, given his remarkable performance throughout the tournament, where he notched three vital goals and scored the decisive penalty that eliminated the Netherlands in the round of 32. In light of Saibari’s injury, Soufiane Rahimi is expected to take the lead in the attack, with Ouahbi expressing confidence in his squad’s depth to create another upset.

“When you want to go very far in a competition, you need everybody,” Ouahbi commented. “The players who cannot be in the starting 11 know that they have the opportunity to finish the match. We have starters, and when others are subbed in, they can make a difference on the pitch for us. This is a positive for the group and gives us a lot of confidence.”

The match at Boston Stadium represents not just a chance for Morocco to showcase their talent but also an opportunity for redemption after facing elimination by France in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. On a positive note, the Moroccan defense has received a boost with the return of center-back Chadi Riad, who had missed the previous game due to an undisclosed injury. However, the Atlas Lions will need an impeccable display to contain star forward Kylian Mbappe and halt France’s impressive six-match winning streak.