As the Moroccan national team gears up for its World Cup debut, concerns are mounting regarding the fitness of winger Abde Ezzalzouli. Following a knee injury sustained during a friendly match against Norway, Ezzalzouli underwent extensive examinations to assess the severity of his condition. According to a club source who spoke to the AFP news agency on Monday, the player's participation in the opening group match against Brazil is now in jeopardy.
The Real Betis forward suffered the injury to his right knee during the 1-1 draw with Norway, forcing him to leave the field prematurely. "Everyone is anxiously awaiting the test results to determine the exact extent of the injury and whether there will be enough time for recovery before the World Cup kicks off," the source stated, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the situation.
Morocco is set to face off against five-time World Cup champions Brazil this Saturday in East Rutherford, USA. The team is also contending with formidable opponents in Group C, including Scotland and Haiti. Reports from journalists on-site indicate that uncertainty still looms over the team's preparations.
According to the internal source, the Moroccan officials must first wait 48 hours to ascertain the specific details of Ezzalzouli's injury before making any definitive decisions. Initial media reports suggesting that Ezzalzouli could be sidelined for three to four weeks or possibly miss the entire tournament have been dismissed for now as "pure speculation."
In addition to Ezzalzouli, concerns are also rising about another key player, as United defender Noussair Mazraoui is facing fitness issues after suffering a shoulder injury in the same friendly match against Norway.
As reported by flashscore.de.
