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Marrakech – Fresh off a stunning 4-0 quarterfinal victory over the United States, the Atlas Lions now face Spain in the Olympic semifinals, with Spanish media buzzing in anticipation.
The clash, set to take place tomorrow at 5 p.m. (GMT+1) in Marseille’s Stade Vélodrome, is being billed as an opportunity for Spain to avenge their World Cup 2022 loss to the Atlas Lions.
“The semifinal Spain-Morocco football match already has an official schedule and TV in the Olympic Games: the rematch of the World Cup in Qatar,” proclaimed Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
The article also highlighted the significance of this match beyond the Olympics, as Spain and Morocco are currently part of a joint bid with Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup.
A win for Spain would not only secure a spot in the gold medal match, as they did in Tokyo 2021 under coach Luis de la Fuente, but also provide a “deserved revenge and rematch” for their 2022 World Cup loss.
In the Round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup, Morocco eliminated Spain in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw, with Spanish players Sergio Busquets, Carlos Soler, and Pablo Sarabia missing their spot-kicks.
The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for a Spanish side that had performed well in the group stage under then-coach Luis Enrique.
Mundo Deportivo also highlighted the key players in the Moroccan squad, including PSG defender and captain Achraf Hakimi, Real Betis winger Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, and Villarreal forward Ilias Akhomach.
However, they noted that Spain’s Olympic team, coached by Santi Denia, is composed of the U21 side that finished as runners-up in the European Championship last summer.
As the highly-anticipated semifinal approaches, Spanish media remain focused on the narrative of revenge and the opportunity for Spain to reassert their dominance against a Moroccan side that has impressed in recent international tournaments.
