Walid Regragui, coach of the Moroccan national team, will negotiate with Florentino Perez, the iconic president of Real Madrid, in an effort to maximize Morocco’s chances of having Brahim Diaz in their ranks for the Olympics.
As the Paris 2024 Olympics approach, Morocco’s Olympic football team, under the leadership of Tarik Sektioui (46 years old), faces crucial challenges in forming its squad, especially concerning players over 23 years old. This decision is particularly complex due to several European clubs, including Real Madrid, refusing to release their international players, such as the prominent talent Kylian Mbappé.
According to information obtained by “Al Arabi Al Jadid” newspaper, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, is currently engaged in talks with Florentino Perez, president of Real Madrid, to allow Brahim Diaz (24 years old) to represent Morocco at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This effort follows negotiations aimed at obtaining the necessary permission despite the Spanish club’s reluctance to release players for international competitions outside FIFA windows.
A source within the technical staff of the Moroccan Olympic team, wishing to remain anonymous, emphasized the importance of the relationships between Fouzi Lekjaa and the Spanish football authorities, which have been strengthened, particularly since the announcement of Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup. These ties could play a decisive role in the outcome of negotiations with Real Madrid.
In an additional effort to secure Diaz’s participation, Walid Regragui (48 years old), coach of the Atlas Lions, may travel to Madrid next week to discuss directly with Real Madrid officials, including Lekjaa. This visit aims to convince the club of the relevance and importance of Diaz’s participation in the Olympics, despite initial concerns regarding player fatigue and busy schedules for top-level players.
The situation becomes more critical as the potential refusal of Real Madrid to allow Diaz to join the Moroccan Olympic team could open the door to other options. Among the alternatives considered are renowned players such as Youssef En-Nesyri (26 years old) from Sevilla or Ayoub El Kaabi (30 years old) from Olympiacos, both ready to answer the call to represent their country in this global event.
To date, the Moroccan Football Federation eagerly awaits a positive response from Real Madrid before finalizing the list of three overage players who can bolster the Moroccan Olympic team in Paris. Other potential candidates include established talents like Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguerd, and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, who might make way for Alaa Boularouz to ensure better rotation within the team.
Tarik Sektioui, in accordance with FIFA regulations, will need to make wise choices to complete his squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The outcome of negotiations with Real Madrid will be crucial to the success and ambition of the Moroccan Olympic team in this prestigious international competition.
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