Morocco will play without captain and central defender Romain Saïss, injured in a thigh, in the match against Croatia for third place in the 2022 World Cup on Saturday, coach Walid Regragui has confirmed.
Opposed in their first group match, Croatia and Morocco had left in a draw (0-0).
Regragui expects a second meeting "still tactical" but "more unbridled" given the different stakes.
“This classification game bothers me a bit.
It's always complicated after a disappointment.
For me, we have the place of the con, ”he also confided.
“Even today, the players are all ready to try to play until the end but, there, we will not take any risks on some, in particular our captain, who will be “out” for third fourth place”, specified Regragui in a pre-match press conference.
Among the other uncertain players, the Moroccan coach listed defenders Nayef Aguerd, "still a little affected" and Noussair Mazraoui, as well as striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who only touched three balls in the semi-final against the France on Wednesday.
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Winners including Belgium in the group stage, Spain in the round of 16 and Portugal in the quarter, the Moroccans became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
Opposed in their first group match, Croatia and Morocco had left in a draw (0-0).
Regragui expects a second meeting "still tactical" but "more unbridled" given the different stakes.
"It's difficult to embellish this classification match, it's Sunday's final that we wanted to play but we're going to play," he promised.