Walid Regragui has jumped to the defense of Ismael Saibari, after the PSV Eindhoven player was called out for repeatedly showing up late to team meetings.
Saibari, 22, has been under fire at his Dutch club for being late, but Regragui insists there’s no issue when the midfielder is with the Moroccan national team.
“What happens at his club is different from the national team,” Regragui told reporters in the press conference today. “I know Saibari well — he’s disciplined and never late when he’s with us.”
Regragui said the national team keeps tabs on players even when they’re with their clubs. “If a player messes up, we reach out. But what matters to me is that Saibari is always on time with Morocco,” he said.
The coach added that Saibari gives his all, whether starting or coming off the bench. “He’s a pro. He shows up for meetings, trains hard, and I have no problem with him,” Regragui added.
PSV’s criticism might be a wake-up call. “Maybe it’s the coach’s way of pushing him to do better. But Saibari has been in top form lately, and we always remind our players to represent Morocco in the best way.”
Saibari, who played a key role in PSV’s league run, is set to join the Moroccan squad for World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Tanzania on March 21 and 25 in Oujda.
