Invited as a special guest on After Foot this Tuesday on RMC, Mehdi Benatia spoke at length about the sensitive issue of the release of African players for the CAN 2025. With two crucial matches approaching against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions League (December 9) and Monaco in Ligue 1 (December 14), the sporting director of OM explained his desire to retain his internationals until these deadlines. A clear position, especially as key players like Nayef Aguerd and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are involved in a potential call-up.
“All clubs are working in the same direction: trying to keep as many internationals as possible before the CAN,” Benatia stated to RMC. “We are still waiting for an official response. I want to believe that there will be common sense and that we can keep them until December 15, for the Champions League and for the match against Monaco.”
“I want to believe that it will go in the right direction”
According to FIFA and CAF regulations, clubs are required to release their players starting December 8. This is a frustrating constraint for OM, which hopes for some leniency. Despite calls from some African national team coaches to better respect the nations of the continent, Benatia remains focused on the sporting stakes of his club.
“We are waiting for an official response. I want to believe that it will go in the right direction,” he insisted, while acknowledging the complexity of the issue.
As a former Moroccan international, the sporting director is intimately familiar with the tension between clubs and national teams:
“I have played in four Africa Cups. I know that these are situations where many interests clash. But the essential thing must remain the player.”
Medhi Benatia veut voir ses joueurs, appelés pour la CAN, disponibles face à l'Union Saint-Gilloise :
🗣 "J'ai envie de croire qu'il va y avoir du bon sens et qu'on va pouvoir les garder." pic.twitter.com/Y0JM7i2FpU
— After Foot RMC (@AfterRMC) December 2, 2025
“Proud to have players going to the CAN, but my role is to protect OM”
Benatia fully embraces the dual role of former international and leader of a club engaged in all competitions.
“Am I proud to have players going to the CAN? Yes. I even hope they will return with the trophy. And if it’s Morocco, I will obviously be happy,” he shared on RMC.
However, his priority remains the daily sports management of OM:
“When a player is not at their best, sometimes it’s better to avoid certain friendlies. And on our side, we also have to make efforts to manage the internationals as best as we can.”
Benatia also reminds that this CAN is not a surprise, and it was anticipated since the transfer window:
“From the beginning, we knew that the CAN was coming. During the transfer window, I was well aware of which players would be affected. My first year, we lost eleven players during the competition… it was very difficult. This time, we built the squad taking that into account.”
