<\/p>\n
Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouahbi said his side is determined to continue its historic FIFA World Cup run when it faces France in the quarterfinals on Thursday, insisting the Atlas Lions are not satisfied with reaching the last eight.<\/p>\n
Speaking alongside midfielder Brahim D\u00edaz at the pre-match news conference at Gillette Stadium, Ouahbi dismissed suggestions that Morocco had already exceeded expectations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI prefer to assess our tournament at the end,\u201d Ouahbi said. \u201cPeople say what we\u2019ve achieved is already remarkable, and it is, but France are favorites and we will do everything to win. The only bonus is winning the World Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Morocco will be without its leading scorer, Ismael Saibari, who has scored three goals at the tournament. Ouahbi confirmed the midfielder has not recovered in time after suffering an injury against Canada in the round of 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone is available except Ismael Saibari,\u201d the coach said. \u201cThis match comes a little too soon for him, but I hope he will not be ruled out for the rest of the tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n
D\u00edaz said Morocco\u2019s comeback performance against Canada had reinforced the squad\u2019s confidence ahead of the meeting with France.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe showed what we\u2019re capable of in the second half,\u201d he said. \u201cWe changed the way we played, came back into the match and won. That\u2019s our mentality. We want to keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ouahbi said Morocco would remain faithful to the playing style that carried the team to the quarterfinals rather than introducing tactical surprises.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a very clear idea of how we want to play,\u201d he said. \u201cThat identity has brought us this far, and we believe it can take us even further.\u201d<\/p>\n
The coach also declined to reveal whether winger Chemsdine Talbi would start against France, stressing the importance of squad depth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you want to go far in a tournament, you need everyone,\u201d Ouahbi said. \u201cThe players who don\u2019t start know they can come on and make the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
D\u00edaz, who will face his Real Madrid CF teammates Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 and Aur\u00e9lien Tchouam\u00e9ni, said he was focused solely on helping Morocco reach the semifinals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re excellent players,\u201d D\u00edaz said. \u201cBut I want to help my team win and qualify. I\u2019m ready, and I have great confidence that we can achieve a positive result.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ouahbi praised France\u2019s full-backs but expressed confidence that Morocco could trouble the tournament favorites.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re top players at top clubs,\u201d he said. \u201cThe duels will be difficult, but if we play our football and find the spaces, we can beat any team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Morocco coach also praised Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, describing him as the team\u2019s \u201cfirst supporter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe works tirelessly and always brings positive energy,\u201d Ouahbi said. \u201cHe\u2019s always telling us that everything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about the officiating, Ouahbi expressed confidence in the match officials despite criticism surrounding refereeing decisions elsewhere in the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re completely calm,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had experienced referees throughout the competition, and officiating is not something we\u2019re concerned about.\u201d<\/p>\n
D\u00edaz, who has provided four assists at the tournament, downplayed his individual statistics.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who scores or who gets the assist,\u201d he said. \u201cTomorrow, all I want is to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
The winner of Thursday\u2019s quarterfinal will advance to the semifinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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