Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi Faces Hard Times at PSG Due to Low Performance

Rabat – French media and Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) supporters have been critical of Moroccan international footballer Achraf Hakimi’s performance since he returned from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which was held in Cote d’Ivoire.

Both the media and PSG supporters concur that Hakimi has still not fully recovered from his team’s defeat in the AFCON. This is especially true in the wake of PSG’s Ligue 1 encounter against Reims FC which took place on March 10 at the Parc des Princes, as part of the 25th day of the French Championship.

The Moroccan player has received a lot of criticism because of his lackluster performance. After a huge mistake, Hakimi lost the ball in his own area just seven minutes into the game, allowing the opponents to open the scoring.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw but criticism did not stop on social networks despite Hakimi’s contribution to one of PSG’s goals.

Commenting on the player’s error during the post-match press conference, PSG’s head coach Luis Enrique said; “I didn’t appreciate the gift offered to the opponent. Obviously, we’re not here to offer gifts.”

For the press, the recent AFCON saw the Moroccan national team perform poorly, which may have contributed to Hakimi’s decline in performance.

According to several publications, including L’Equipe, Hakimi has “taken this setback very badly,” as the Atlas Lions’ early elimination from the competition was a clear indicator of their status as favorites.

For his part, Romain Beddouk of the radio network France Bleu explains that “Achraf Hakimi is still not back from the Africa Cup of Nations. Morocco’s elimination in the Round of 16 was a surprise, a disappointment, and Hakimi also missed a late penalty that would have kept his team alive in the competition.”

Meanwhile, the Sports daily Foot Mercato reported that “Achraf Hakimi just can’t do it anymore … very disappointing during this game, despite a still notable offensive impact, the 25-year-old player showed great defensive fragility.”

While some supporters have been questioning why one of the top right-backs in the world is performing at a lower level, others think that Hakimi’s current downturn in form is merely temporary and that he will soon return to his best.

Likewise, some netizens have drawn comparisons between the player’s performance both with his club and his national team, arguing that Hakimi puts his all into his profession when he dons the Atlas Lions’ jersey. They also highlight his performance at the last World Cup in Qatar, where he helped his team reach the semi-finals under the management of head coach Walid Regragui.

The Moroccan national team is scheduled to play two friendlies within the course of the next two weeks against Angola and Mauritania on March 22 and 26. The matches will take place at the Adrar Stadium in Agadir.