Raja vs Wydad Casablanca: Preview, Team News

Rabat – The Casablanca derby is back this Friday. Raja face Wydad in a fiery Botola Pro derby at the Arabi Zawali Stadium, but supporters will miss out – it’s behind closed doors.

The game will decide who rises – and who falls. Both teams are struggling and the two managers are under pressure. Raja’s José Sapinto hasn’t delivered a single win in four matches since taking over.

Wydad’s Rulani Mokwena isn’t doing much better either. The stakes couldn’t be higher. A loss could mean either coach would be shown the door.

Raja sit 11th in the league with just 13 points. They haven’t scored in their last four games. Wydad are sixth with 15 points, but inconsistency has plagued them since the start of the campaign. Despite splurging on summer transfers, results haven’t turned their way.

Meanwhile, the derby will play out in silence. Authorities say the 35,000-seat stadium isn’t ready to welcome as many fans despite Raja’s plea to sell tickets to boost finances.

If the second leg moves to the Mohammed V Stadium, fans may finally get a chance to attend. But Wydad will have to sell only 20,000 tickets and proceeds from sales will be split equally.

On the other hand, Raja’s board has sweetened the pot. According to sources, a 100 million centime bonus awaits players if they win not only the derby but also their upcoming CAF Champions League clash against arch-rivals FAR Rabat next Tuesday.

Wydad, meanwhile, welcome back striker Mbaye Niang. The ex-Milan forward is fit again after undergoing a special training program to regain sharpness and shed some extra weight. Fans hope he’ll lead the attacking setup against Raja.

Predicted Lineup

Raja: Anas Zniti; Abdellah Khafifi, Benaissa Benamar, Mohamed Boulacsoute, Zakaria Labib, Mouhsine Bodda, Mohamed Zrida, Sabir Bougrine, Yousri Bouzok, Nawfel Zerhouni, Younes Najjari.

Wydad: Youssef El Motie; Mohamed Moufid, Jamal Harkass, Nabil Marmouk, El Mehdi El Moubarik, Ayoub Boucheta, Ismail Moutaraji, Hamza Sakhi, Saifeddine Bouhra, Walid Nassi, Cassius Mailula.

The Casablanca derby isn’t just a game. It’s a battle for pride, survival. In the last five encounters, Raja won three games, lost and drew once. As ever, the game is expected to be a highly tactical contest, with both managers reluctant to play all-out attack and risk conceding an early goal.