“Portugal is so lucky” – Fans react as 2 important Morocco stars miss out on FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash
Football fans are shocked to see Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui missing Morocco's FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash against Portugal today (December 10).
The north African side will be getting onto the pitch without the services of both players. They have been vital to Morocco's efforts to get into the quarter-finals after topping their group and beating Spain in the Round of 16.
Morocco XI: Bono; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Saiss, Attiat-Allah; Amrabat, Ounahi, Amallah; Ziyech, En Nesyri, Boufal.
Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro; Neves, Bernardo Silva, Otávio; Bruno Fernandes, João Félix, Gonçalo Ramos.🇲🇦 Morocco XI: Bono; Hakimi, El Yamiq, Saiss, Attiat-Allah; Amrabat, Ounahi, Amallah; Ziyech, En Nesyri, Boufal.
🇵🇹 Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Dalot, Pepe, Dias, Guerreiro; Neves, Bernardo Silva, Otávio; Bruno Fernandes, João Félix, Gonçalo Ramos.
Fans took to Twitter to react to the starting lineup, which has excluded both players. They aren't too pleased with the exclusion, which some have claimed is to Portugal's advantage. Here is a selection of their tweets:
@TheEuropeanLad No Aguerd and Mazraoui. Portugal is so lucky
@TheEuropeanLad No Aguerd https://t.co/ezIAbHcF2o
@TheEuropeanLad Where is mazroui?
@TheEuropeanLad No Mazraoui and Aguerd? Its over.
morocco might lose no aguerd and mazraoui is a huge loss
I've been impressed by attiat-allah so hopefully he can step up, haven't seen enough of el yamiq twitter.com/TheEuropeanLad…
Damn no mazourai or aguerd for morocco twitter.com/theeuropeanlad…
Both Aguerd and Mazraoui have been left out of the matchday squad due to injuries. Head coach Walid Regragui replaced them with Yahya Attiat-Allah and Jawad El Yamiq.
Attiat-Allah notably came on as a substitute for Mazraoui in their clash against Spain. Meanwhile, El Yamiq will have to take over the reins while Aguerd deals with an injury scare.
Cristiano Ronaldo will sit on the bench for Portugal in their FIFA World Cup quarter-final clash against Morocco
After being dropped to the bench for their Round of 16 clash against Switzerland, Cristiano Ronaldo finds himself on the bench in the quarter-finals as well.
His current spell on the bench comes after the Portugal captain reacted unhappily to being substituted against South Korea in their final group game.
Manager Fernando Santos reacted to the forward's angry reaction following the FIFA World Cup group stage match. He made it clear that he was not pleased with Ronaldo. Speaking to reporters (via Al Jazeera), Santos said:
“I didn’t like it, not at all. I really did not like it. But from that moment onwards, everything is finished, full stop, regarding that issue. Now, we have to think about tomorrow’s match, and everyone is focused on tomorrow’s match.”
Ronaldo will hope he can return to the good graces of his boss, with Portugal set to face England or France if they can get past Morocco. If the Selecao are unable to secure this all-important win, however, they will be out of the FIFA World Cup.