Regragui: Ounahi's AFCON Journey Ends Prematurely; 'Our Victory Today Has a Bitter Taste!'

National coach Walid Regragui has revealed the details of Azzedine Ounahi's injury, confirming that the player suffered a calf muscle tear during yesterday's training session. This injury will force him to end his participation in the current Africa Cup of Nations.

Regragui explained that Ounahi's absence will range between five and six weeks, noting that the player had previously suffered the same injury with his club Girona before it recurred, which came as a significant shock to the national team.

“Ounahi was injured yesterday in training. He has a calf muscle tear, which will prevent him from completing the AFCON, as he will be out for 5 or 6 weeks. He had the same injury at Girona, and now the wound has reopened; it’s a shock for the entire group. Our victory today has a bitter taste,” Walid Regragui stated during the press conference following the 1-0 win against Tanzania, which secured their qualification for the Africa Cup quarter-finals.

He added: “It’s true that we are happy to qualify for our fans, but we are sad for Ounahi because we have lost the services of a skilled player. Yesterday, it was difficult for everyone, and today we had to qualify for him. When facing teams that play with a deep defensive line, it’s difficult for everyone, but in the end, we won, so we found the solution.”

It is worth noting that the Moroccan national team has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals and will face the winner of the ongoing match between South Africa and Cameroon next Friday (20:00 GMT+1).