Rabat – Moroccan defender Souffian El Karouani has confirmed that his arrival at Morocco’s national team training camp will be delayed until May 26 due to his club commitments in the European playoff finals.
The newly scheduled arrival date directly coincides with the very last day of the Atlas Lions’ preparatory camp.
The Utrecht defender remains part of the Atlas Lions’ roster for the current training camp at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. The preparatory assembly officially kicked off this Friday and is scheduled to wrap up on May 26.
The 25-year-old player explained that he was contacted last week to join the squad today, as part of an early camp for players who had already finished their club seasons.
The initial plan was based on the belief that his season with Utrecht would wrap up on May 17, but his team’s continued success in the playoffs changed those plans.
“I was contacted last week to see if I could come on May 22 to take part in an additional camp for the available players. They thought my season would end on the 17th, but I still have the playoff matches,” El Karouani said following Thursday’s game.
The Moroccan star put on a decisive performance with FC Utrecht on Thursday, scoring a goal and providing an assist to push the club past Heerenveen 3-2 and into the European playoff final against Ajax.
“We had agreed that if we were eliminated today, I would join tomorrow,” El Karouani explained. “But now my arrival will be on the 26th, which is the date the final squad list is announced. I just can’t be there right now, otherwise I would have gone already.”
