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Join on Telegram Fez – Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech had his say about being cut from Morocco’s squad list for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), following his team’s January 5 win against Tottenham Hotspurs in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The star player insists he “does not care” that he was cut from the national team.
In an interview with the Qatari sports channel BeIN Sports, Ziyech told reporters he is currently focused on his performance with the London club, stressing that he is not interested in what happens outside of football.
“I’m doing my job and trying to perform as best as I can. Other stuff that is going around outside of football is not really important at the moment. At this point, I don’t really care to be honest,” Morocco’s football star indicated.
Lately, there has been bad blood between Hakim Ziyech and Morocco’s head coach Vahid Halilhodzic.
In September, the Bosnian coach decided to exclude the 28-year-old star from Morocco’s squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, pointing to what he describes as the player’s “ill-discipline”.
Justifying his decision, Halilhodzic stated that the player’s behavior “was not that of a national team player who, as a leader in the team, has to be a positive role model.”
On a social media post, Ziyech reacted to Halilhodzic’s accusations, stating “next time you speak SPEAK THE TRUTH THEN… !!!”
Read also: Coach: Morocco’s Team is Open to Players Who Prove Involvement, Desire to Please Fans
On December 23, Halilhodzic unveiled the list of players to participate in the AFCON, without Hakim Ziyech featuring among the summoned players.
“I expect a lot from my players. We have worked well for two years, and I will not allow anyone to ruin that. The national team is sacred,” Halilhodzic indicated concerning Ziyech being ruled out from Atlas Lions squad, alluding to the player’s “ill-discipline.”
The national team is ahead of important games in the AFCON, with the players in good spirits and determined to return home with positive results.
According to dispatches from the team, Romain Saiss and his teammates want to be rid of their “underachievers” tag in Africa’s most prestigious tournament and secure the title that has been absent from Morocco’s trophy closet for almost 46 years.
However, it remains to be seen whether such a high-profile absence will affect Halihodzic’s goals.
