Regragui: "I Am Stricter With Diaz Because He Can Deliver More; We Need Players Like Him To Win The Title"
Morocco national team coach Walid Regragui confirmed that he is very strict with his star player, Brahim Diaz, indicating that he expects better performances from him in upcoming matches. This statement came after Morocco secured qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with a narrow victory over Tanzania.
Speaking at the press conference following the match, Regragui said: “When we look at Diaz’s statistics with the national team, we realize he is an effective player. By the way, my constant struggle with Brahim – and he can confirm this – I think he came to celebrate the goal with me because he knows I am the toughest on him. Honestly, the player I deal with most strictly in our group is Brahim, because I know what he can give us, and I know he is capable of delivering his best.”
He added: “For example, scoring the goal is good, but there are many things he did that I am not satisfied with, because he has even better in him. However, he remains our unique player, and at any moment, he can make a difference. Our duty is to put him in the best conditions to unlock defenses for us in these types of matches, and that is what he did.”
Regragui continued: “He has started to understand that when he is close to the penalty area, he showcases his talent more. Conversely, moving away from the goal puts us at risk because he loses possession due to taking chances. This is the balance he needs to achieve, and we have worked on that a lot, just as we have worked on this tournament and what I expect from him.”
He concluded: “He is very excited and knows that this is the right time to go far in the AFCON. To win a tournament like this, you need a player capable of making a difference, and Brahim is one of those players. He must maintain the consistency of his performance and regain his fitness, as the lack of rhythm he had at Real Madrid made him pay the price in the last 20 minutes. We managed this in the first three matches, and I believe he will be in better physical condition for the quarter-finals. In any case, I congratulate him and I am happy with him, because in these matches, it is the talented players who decide the outcome.”
