Moroccan coach Walid Regragui wary of Nigeria’s threat

By Saheed Afolabi

Morocco head coach, Walid Regragui says Nigeria is a threat to their aim of winning the 2023 Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast next year.

Morocco are drawn in group F with DR Congo, Tanzania and Zambia for the Afcon and Regragui insists Atlas Lion will prepare well and do everything necessary to excel, while also playing down the favourite tag.

“We will prepare well. What matters is that we have the experience, whether it’s me or the staff. We played in Africa, we competed in these competitions,” Regragui was quoted by Goal Ball Live.

“We were also assistants to Rachid Taoussi in South Africa (in 2013). We know that this competition is decided on details and on the state of mind.

“For the next Afcon, we are no longer the favorites and there are teams who are better than us like Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt. I am much more wary of teams in hat 2 like Algeria, Nigeria and Ivory Coast who will be at home.”

The Atlas Lions are one of the favourites to win the AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire following their impressive performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where they became the first African side to reach the last four stage.