Morocco Hit by Saibari Injury Before France Clash

Morocco’s dream of repeating their historic World Cup journey has suffered a major setback ahead of their quarter-final showdown with France, with one of their key performers, Ismail Saibari, ruled out of the crucial encounter because of injury.

The African side will face defending champions France at Boston Stadium at 2am in the quarter-final tie. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed that Saibari would not be available due to a thigh injury.

“Everyone is ready for the match except Ismail Saibari. This game has come too soon for him, but we hope to have him back for the remaining stages of the tournament,” Ouahbi said.

Saibari has been one of Morocco’s standout players during the World Cup campaign. The midfielder, who recently joined Bayern Munich, made a strong impression by scoring in all three group-stage matches. His attacking contribution played a significant role in Morocco’s impressive run, providing both goals and creativity in the final third.

The 25-year-old also delivered during the knockout stages. In the round-of-32 match against the Netherlands, Saibari converted the decisive penalty in the shoot-out, helping Morocco secure a dramatic victory. However, his tournament was interrupted during the last-16 clash against Canada, where he was forced to leave the pitch after suffering a thigh problem in Morocco’s 3-0 win.

Substitute Soufiane Rahimi stepped in during that match and scored Morocco’s third goal, ensuring their progress to the quarter-finals.

Ouahbi has not revealed who will replace Saibari in the starting line-up against France, but he suggested that his team has prepared a tactical surprise for their opponents.

“I have a surprise prepared for facing France,” the Morocco manager said, hinting that his side could adopt a different approach against one of the tournament favourites.

The match carries additional significance for Morocco, as it offers an opportunity to settle old scores. The two teams last met in the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final in Qatar, where France ended Morocco’s remarkable campaign with a 2-0 victory. That defeat denied Morocco a place in the final, but Ouahbi insists his players are focused on the present rather than the past.

“France are obviously the favourites. They have a team full of world-class players, but we will give everything to win the match. Our biggest ambition is to win the World Cup. We are going into this game with the belief that we can secure victory,” he said.

Morocco have already made history by becoming one of the strongest African teams in World Cup history. Their disciplined defence, organised midfield and ability to compete against elite opponents have earned widespread praise throughout the tournament.

However, overcoming France will require another exceptional performance. The absence of Saibari could force Morocco to adjust their attacking strategy, but the team’s confidence remains high as they attempt to continue their remarkable World Cup adventure and move closer to the ultimate prize.