Benhachem: Azam Match Was an 'Official Friendly,' a Last Chance to Prepare Players

Amin Benhachem, coach of Wydad AC, spoke after qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals about the challenges of facing Nairobi and the importance of managing the squad and players in preparation for the upcoming difficult matches. He emphasized the necessity of balancing rest and preparation for each game.

Speaking at the press conference after the 2-0 victory over Azam, Amin Benhachem said: "The Nairobi match came at a time when the players were ready. In this game, I took a big risk by fielding an unbalanced lineup, as I anticipated facing a modest opponent."

He added: "Here, I had to give some players a rest because all our upcoming matches are difficult. We have fixtures against AS FAR, RS Berkane, and Maghreb Fez."

Benhachem continued: "This means that the new players must now enter into competition, especially since the upcoming matches will be difficult for them during a period where we will play a game every three days."

He further stated: "This is the inherent danger, and thankfully, we managed to win despite a weak performance, because the lineup and structure were not balanced. However, I was forced to prepare the players for such matches."

He concluded his remarks by saying: "This match was like a last chance; it can be considered a friendly or a preparatory match, but it was a match with an official character."