Wahbi defends his selections and reveals the injured players' situation: clear messages on En-Nesyri, Mazraoui and Diaz
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi opened a number of important files during his press conference on Wednesday, following the announcement of the Atlas Lions squad for the current November camp, which features two matches against Niger on 13 and 17 November in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Moroccan coach explained why he had recalled Youssef En-Nesyri after his absence from previous gatherings, and he hit back at criticism over calling up players who get little game time at their clubs. He touched on Brahim Diaz's situation at Real Madrid, along with the latest on the injuries to several key men, chief among them Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi and Ayoub El Kaabi.
Ouahbi explains the reasons for En-Nesyri's return
Mohamed Ouahbi revealed that Youssef En-Nesyri had never slipped out of the technical staff's plans, despite his absence from recent squads, stressing that his coaching team had tracked the striker throughout his spell with Al-Ittihad of Jeddah.
Ouahbi said in this regard, as highlighted by the Moroccan website "El Botola": "En-Nesyri is already part of our extended squad, and we follow him consistently, like all the players, from day one. We have followed all his matches with the Saudi side Al-Ittihad, whether in the AFC Champions League, the cup or the league. We make sure to watch his matches every week, and he is a player who has never been outside our monitoring from the start."
He added: "In the recent period, we decided to rely on other players, specifically on strikers who have characteristics similar to his during the last World Cup. Since then, we have held a preparatory gathering, and today we see that En-Nesyri's characteristics can give us an added value, especially against a team like Niger."
Mazraoui and playing minutes: Ouahbi responds to criticism
Ouahbi also took aim at the criticism over calling up players who rarely feature for their clubs, insisting that game time cannot be the sole measure of who deserves a place with Morocco.
The Moroccan coach responded: "When it comes to selecting players, it would be enough to search online for the number of playing minutes, then call up the players who have had the most of them to form the Moroccan national team, but if this is the only criterion for choosing the national team's players, then there is no need for my presence in this position."
Selection, he explained, comes down to other factors tied to harmony and tactics. "There are other matters that must be taken into account, among them finding harmony between the players, and choosing the players who fit our style of play, because we have a clear tactical approach, and we know very well the way we want to play, regardless of the identity of the opponent."
Noussair Mazraoui is a case in point, his limited club appearances having sparked questions over his call-up. "You talk about Mazraoui, who does not play much with his club, but it is enough to follow his matches with the Moroccan national team. If you are saying that, because of his few appearances with his club, he no longer has the required level to represent the national team, then I cannot answer this argument, with all due respect."
He continued in defence of the Moroccan full-back: "It is not just a matter of numbers or calculations, but it also concerns the player's qualities and his ability to make the national team stronger. Mazraoui has delivered good performances with the Moroccan national team in various competitions, and he has always lived up to expectations."
A dip in form at club level, he concluded, does not cost a player his place with Morocco. "It is not logical for us to stop calling up a player just because his level has declined slightly with his club, because we know very well what each player can offer the national team."
Brahim Diaz: a desire to play more at Real Madrid
Brahim Diaz's situation at Real Madrid also came up, with the attacker short of minutes in Spain. Ouahbi said the player wants more, but has no concerns about his level once he links up with Morocco.
Ouahbi said: "Whether for us or for him, Brahim wants to get more playing minutes. He wants to play more with Real Madrid, but he plays at one of the best clubs in the world, where the competition is very strong."
He added: "But we are not worried about his level, because when he joins the Moroccan national team, he is very happy to be with us, and he shows great enthusiasm and a desire to give everything he has."
The Morocco coach hopes Diaz can use his time with the national team to shine and force his way into Carlo Ancelotti's thinking at the Bernabeu. "Therefore, we will continue to encourage him, and we hope, God willing, that he delivers big matches with us, so that he can return to Real Madrid and get more playing minutes, because I cannot interfere in the coaches' choices, as every coach has his own solutions that he is looking for."
The injured players' situation and the return date of the quartet
Ouahbi then moved to calm Moroccan supporters over the condition of Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi and Ayoub El Kaabi, voicing his optimism that all four can be fit before the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Atlas Lions coach admitted he could not pin down an exact return date. Even the doctors, he noted, cannot be certain about recovery times, with each injury and each stage of rehabilitation different.
Ouahbi said: "I am in contact with them, these are difficult periods, and we continue to support them and accompany them during the rehabilitation stage, and they will return stronger."
He added that some of the injured could be back in March, with the technical staff monitoring their progress constantly and refusing to treat their absences as a permanent problem.
The injuries, the Moroccan coach argued, force his staff to find alternatives and hand chances to other players, giving newcomers a platform to prove themselves while sharpening competition within the group.
Injuries are part of football, Ouahbi stressed, and he remains confident all four will be back before the Africa Cup of Nations, so that their absences do not disrupt Morocco's build-up to the continental event.
