Rabat – Morocco international Abde Ezzalzouli will miss Real Betis’ trip to Dublin as he continues working toward full fitness ahead of the 2026-2027 season.
Ezzalzouli did not travel with Manuel Pellegrini’s squad for Wednesday’s preseason friendly against Arsenal at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
The 24-year-old has instead remained in Seville, where he is continuing an individual rehabilitation program under the supervision of the club’s medical staff.
Real Betis have yet to set a definitive date for the winger’s return to competitive action. The club is reportedly unwilling to rush him back before he is physically ready, prioritizing full fitness and aiming to avoid any setback so close to the start of the new campaign.
Ezzalzouli is expected to continue training separately before gradually rejoining his teammates once he receives medical clearance.
The Arsenal friendly, scheduled for August 5 at 8:30 p.m., is one of Betis’ final tests before the start of their domestic season. It will also be the first meeting between the two clubs and Real Betis’ first senior-team match in Dublin.
After facing Arsenal, Betis are due to host Bournemouth at La Cartuja on August 8 in what the club has described as its final friendly before the beginning of La Liga.
Recovery from World Cup injury
Ezzalzouli suffered the injury during Morocco’s pre-World Cup friendly against Norway on June 7 in New Jersey. The incident occurred when Moroccan defender Chadi Riad fell onto his teammate’s right knee during an accidental collision.
Subsequent examinations diagnosed Ezzalzouli with a moderate sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. The injury eventually prevented him from representing Morocco at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The winger initially began part of his recovery work at a specialized sports injury center in Lyon before continuing his rehabilitation with Betis.
Although he returned to the club’s preseason setup in July and was included in the group selected for a training period in Marbella, he has continued to follow a specific program rather than immediately returning to full match action.
His absence comes after his most productive campaign since joining Betis from Barcelona in 2023. Ezzalzouli recorded 15 goals and 12 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions during the 2025-2026 season, including 10 goals and eight assists in La Liga.
