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Marrakech – In a press conference ahead of the Olympic semifinal match against Morocco, Spain’s men’s football coach Santi Denia expressed strong affection for Moroccan player Ilias Akhomach, whom he previously coached in Spain’s youth teams.
Speaking to the press today, Denia stated, “We have incredible appreciation for him.”
The coach spoke about the journey they’ve had with Akhomach, noting: “He’s been with us since the Under-15s, I’ve been with him since the Under-15s, he was captain of the Under-19s with me, he’s come with the Under-21s. I have a special affection for him.”
Denia also addressed the possibility of a penalty shootout in the upcoming match, saying, “Training for penalties, I know this is a debate, I think it’s very difficult.”
He elaborated on the psychological aspect, stating, “Anyone who has taken a penalty knows what it’s like, in a semifinal, in a final — you have to be psychologically prepared to take a penalty. It’s more psychological than physical.”
The match, viewed by Spanish media as a “revenge opportunity” for Spain following their loss to Morocco in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, promises to be a challenging encounter.
AS reported two days ago that Morocco has been the sensation of the tournament, bolstered by thousands of supporters making them feel almost like the home team in France.
Morocco’s team features several Spanish-born players, including Achraf Hakimi (PSG) and Ilias Akhomach (Villarreal).
The team’s attacking prowess has been highlighted by Abdessamad Ezzalzouli from Real Betis and Soufiane Rahimi, who has already scored five goals in the tournament.
The semifinal match is scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m. (GMT+1) at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille.
An Uzbek officiating team led by Ilgiz Tantashev has been appointed for the game, with Andrey Tsapenko and Timur Gainulin as assistants, and Sweden’s Glenn Nyberg as the fourth official.
