Raja Club Athletic dismiss Paco Jemez before decisive Al Ahly ties

Raja Club Athletic have ended Paco Jemez’s contract after a poor run of results, with the Moroccan club facing two crucial meetings with Al Ahly in the CAF Confederation Cup.

The decision was announced on Monday, following Raja’s 2-0 defeat by RS Berkane in the Botola Pro on Sunday. The result left the club 13th in the table with six points from five matches, while RS Berkane moved up to 12th on seven points from five games, with a match in hand.

The defeat was RS Berkane’s first league win of the season. They ended a run of four successive draws by taking advantage of home support to claim all three points against Raja.

Raja said the dismissal followed an assessment of the team’s results, performances and overall progress under the Spanish manager.

The club said in a statement: “Raja announces the termination of its contract with coach Paco Jemez, following a comprehensive assessment of the team’s sporting situation, in light of the fact that the results achieved, the quality of the performances and the team’s overall level of development did not meet the sporting ambitions and objectives set by the club.”

It added that the sporting committee, working with the sporting administration and having reviewed the previous period, believed a change in technical leadership had become necessary.

The purpose of the move, Raja said, was to bring new impetus to the squad and continue efforts to achieve its sporting ambitions. The club also promised to pursue its sporting project “with ambition and responsibility”, in line with its objectives, history and standing, while responding to the expectations of its supporters.

Al Ahly meetings ahead

The coaching change comes shortly before Raja’s CAF Confederation Cup group-stage matches against Al Ahly. The two clubs are in the same group as Kara of Togo and Primeiro de Agosto of Angola.

Al Ahly are due to host Raja at Cairo International Stadium between 18 and 20 December in the third round of the group stage. The fixture listing also carries the date 19 December 2026.

The return match will be played in Morocco between 8 and 10 January, in the fourth round. The two games are expected to be significant in the race to reach the next stage of the competition.

Raja have yet to announce who will replace Jemez. The identity of the new coach, and how quickly the team adapts to the change, will be closely watched before the club’s meetings with Al Ahly.

The departure leaves Raja entering a new phase at a demanding point in the season, with their domestic position under pressure and their continental campaign approaching a decisive stage.