Rabat, January 4, 2026 – Just hours before the Round of 16 match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations against Tanzania (5 PM, Prince Moulay Abdellah Complex), the Atlas Lions received some bad news: Azzedine Ounahi will not participate in the match. The Moroccan midfielder, who plays for Girona, was seen arriving at the stadium on crutches with a brace on his left foot, an image that quickly circulated in the media and confirmed the physical alert.
In the Moroccan plan, Ounahi’s absence weighs heavily as he brings what few profiles possess in the same position: the ability to accelerate the game, to make himself available between the lines, and to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm with his passing. While Hoalid Regragui has emphasized the idea of a “knockout” match where the slightest mistake is costly, losing a technical relay of this level forces the staff to adjust the balance of the midfield, just as “the real tournament” begins in the knockout phase.
The question now remains regarding the sports and potentially medical management of what comes next. Some reports suggest an injury serious enough to cast doubt on the player’s continuation in the tournament, pending evaluations. On the field, however, Morocco has credible options to compensate: Ismaël Saibari, Bilal El Khannouss, or Naël El Aynaoui can provide complementary solutions around Sofyan Amrabat, with different profiles (volume, creativity, projection).
