Ismael Saibari, the promising new addition to FC Bayern Munich, missed Morocco's recent clash with Gabon due to incidents that transpired during the Africa Cup final. The ongoing controversy surrounding his participation in the tournament has yet to be resolved, as questions remain about whether he can rightfully claim the title of Africa Cup champion. Morocco lost the final against Senegal on January 18 in Rabat, but due to a premature exit by the Senegalese team from the field, Morocco lodged an appeal with the African Football Confederation (CAF) and was granted a favorable ruling. However, Senegal has since contested this decision, leading to a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) scheduled for October 8, where a final verdict is anticipated.
Saibari found himself embroiled in the controversy during the chaotic final, particularly due to what has been dubbed the 'towel incident.' In the pouring rain of Rabat, Moroccan ball boys attempted to snatch a towel from Senegal's goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, with Saibari and Moroccan captain Achraf Hakimi actively participating in the antics. Saibari later described his actions as a 'mistake' and publicly apologized for his involvement.
As a result of the scandal, CAF imposed fines and issued a three-match suspension for Saibari and a two-match suspension for Hakimi in CAF competitions. Following Morocco's appeal, the fines were rescinded and the suspensions were reduced to one match each. Consequently, both players served their suspensions during Morocco's 2-0 victory against Gabon in the Africa Cup qualification on Friday. They remain part of the squad and are expected to feature in the upcoming second qualification match away against Lesotho on Tuesday, as well as in a friendly against Ghana the following Sunday.
Looking ahead, Saibari's prospects at Bayern Munich have significantly improved due to an injury sustained by Jamal Musiala. Musiala had recently been regaining his form but is now sidelined with a muscle tear in his right thigh, which he suffered during warm-ups ahead of Germany’s Nations League match against the Netherlands. Reports suggest that Musiala could be out for three to four weeks, which means he will miss crucial fixtures against FC Augsburg and Viking Stavanger, and potentially the high-profile matches against RB Leipzig and Arsenal. This injury opens the door for Saibari to step into Musiala's role in the central attacking midfield position, alongside other candidates like the recently recovered Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl.
Saibari made a noteworthy transfer to Bayern Munich in the summer for €50 million after an impressive World Cup performance with Morocco. Although he has participated in all seven competitive matches for Bayern so far this season, he has only started three times. Nevertheless, he managed to register three assists and scored his first competitive goal for Bayern during their 7-0 triumph over Union Berlin just before the international break.
As reported by spox.com.
