"If there's one player you can't imagine in this type of story, it's Zak." Walid Regragui, coach of Morocco, has decided to break the silence and speak out to support the young Zakaria Aboukhlal, at the heart of a double controversy in recent days. This Tuesday, Toulouse FC decided to remove from the group its international striker following an altercation of the player with a Toulouse elected on April 30, made public by RMC Monday and confirmed by AFP.
"With my staff, we were totally surprised, taken aback, said the coach to our colleagues of the Team. He is a respectful boy, with real values and a beautiful education, transmitted by open parents, whom we had the chance to meet during the World Cup in Qatar. In summary, on the sidelines of the title celebrations in the Coupe de France against Nantes (5-1), the player told Laurence Arribagé "that in his country women do not talk to men like that" while the elected representative asked him to make less noise. She then tried to minimize the facts, confiding that there was no subject.
"We risk being on word against word, in the end"
"I'm just surprised at the timing," says Walid Regragui. We risk being on word against word, in the end. I didn't have anyone from the club, but Zak called me: he firmly denied this altercation with the elected representative. Regragui also insisted on the "social fiber" of the young man: "He has been fighting for a long time to save children in Morocco. It finances with its premiums an orphanage in Casablanca, as well as a local football field with an association. »
Read alsoMisogynistic remarks, refusal of the rainbow jersey... Who is Zakaria Aboukhlal, the TFC player mired in controversy?
This is the second time in three days that Zakaria Aboukhlal (13 goals and 5 assists in all competitions this season) finds himself at the heart of his club's news. On Sunday he had already refused to play the match between TFC and Nantes counting for the 35th day of L1 to avoid having to wear the rainbow flocked jersey for the weekend of fight against homophobia in football.
"Respect is a value that means a lot to me. It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own beliefs. Thus, I do not believe I am the most appropriate person to participate in this campaign, "had justified the player in his statement. TFC had not sanctioned him unlike the club of Nantes facing the same situation with its Egyptian international Mostafa Mohamed who had also refused to play this meeting.
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