Regragui surprises Hakimi after the "Barcelona four": since when have you been feeling tired?
Paris Saint-Germain's 4-2 win over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League served up an amusing moment in the analysis studio afterwards, bringing together former Morocco coach Walid Regragui and his compatriot Achraf Hakimi, the Parisian star and Atlas Lions captain. Regragui seized on his television appearance to tease his old player about fatigue and his recent goal drought.
PSG dealt Barcelona a heavy blow, handing them their first defeat of the season. Hakimi shone, creating his side's fourth goal with a decisive pass to Fabian Ruiz in the 86th minute. The match had its painful side, though, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia suffering a cruciate ligament injury to the knee.
Working as an analyst in the studio of the "Canal Champions Club" programme on France's "Canal+" network, Regragui pounced when Hakimi appeared in a post-match interview. The former Morocco coach praised him first, then launched into a series of sarcastic comments.
Hakimi spoke candidly about feeling exhausted in the closing minutes. He stressed that he always tries to give his utmost on the pitch, before admitting that luck had deserted him in front of goal despite the chances he had.
He said: "I was tired at the end. It's true that I try to give my utmost on the pitch, but I felt exhausted in the final minutes. I'm very happy with the decisive pass, but as I said, it's been a long time since I scored a goal. I had many chances to score, but the ball wouldn't go into the net."
Regragui fired back, as reported by the "Afrik-Foot" website, which specialises in African football news: "He speaks French well, and that's what I like about Achraf." Then he turned to the fatigue the player had mentioned, asking with a smile: "You never feel tired, Achraf, since when do you feel tired?" He went on to praise the decisive pass that helped seal the Parisian victory.
The exchange did not stop at talk of fatigue. Regragui moved on to Hakimi's recent spell away from the net, telling him with a grin: "It's been a long time since you scored a goal, Achraf, hasn't it?"
Hakimi took his former coach's remarks with a smile and relished the chance to reconnect on air, saying: "Good evening, coach, it's a pleasure to listen to you."
A relationship that goes beyond the pitch: an amusing request from Regragui
Those moments spoke to the bond between the two men. They worked together for four years with the Morocco national team, a spell in which Hakimi was one of the Atlas Lions' most prominent pillars, before he took on the captain's armband at stages of his international career.
Keeping the mood light, Regragui closed the exchange by encouraging his former player and reminding him, in jest, that he was still waiting for a dinner invitation during the week.
Hakimi replied with a smile: "God willing, God willing." It was a scene that laid bare the mutual affection between them, even after the end of their time together with the Morocco national team.
Under new Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi, Hakimi now prepares to face Niger in late November in the two qualifying matches for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
