Real Betis Negotiates with Moroccan Federation to Retain Amrabat and Ez Abde Until December 15

Spanish club Real Betis continued its preparations for the pre-2025 Africa Cup of Nations period, driven by its desire to retain Moroccan players Sofyan Amrabat and Abde Ezzalzouli for as long as possible.

Spanish newspaper “AS” revealed that Real Betis has entered into official negotiations with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) with the aim of keeping the Moroccan duo until their crucial match against Rayo Vallecano, scheduled for December 15.

The club seeks to leverage the flexibility provided by FIFA to clubs and federations to reach “good faith” bilateral agreements, allowing for solutions that consider the specific circumstances of each case.

Betis is banking on this negotiation path to minimize sporting losses, especially since the club could be deprived of Amrabat and Ez Abde's services for up to seven matches, depending on Morocco's progression in the tournament.

These moves come as FIFA announced the date for players to join their national teams, a date that precisely coincides with Real Betis's La Liga match. This places the club in a complex situation, as the absence of Abde Ezzalzouli and Sofyan Amrabat from that fixture would be a significant blow to coach Manuel Pellegrini, who relies heavily on them in his squad.