[Curiosities] Regragui: Morocco-Belgium Game ‘Will Be Tough’ for Both Teams

[BirSaNN]

The Atlas Lions are strong tactically but lag behind in terms of intensity.

Rabat - Sunday’s FIFA World Cup game between Morocco and Belgium will be a tough game for both teams, Atlas Lions’ Coach Walid Regragui said in a press conference today.

One day ahead of the highly anticipated game, Regragui said that the Belgian team “has a fantastic coach,” some of the world’s top players, and substantial experience.

Speaking on the Moroccan team’s priorities for tomorrow, Regragui explained that the team “must have more technical mastery compared to the first game.”

According to the coach, the Atlas Lions have strong tactical capabilities but lag behind in terms of intensity, saying “we lost a lot of balls in the midfield.”

Noting the recent development in the Qatar FIFA World Cup, Regragui said that African teams are changing the continent’s mindset of who is expected to win the world cup. “Today, I think that Tunisia, us, and even Senegal yesterday, have proved that you can lose the first game but stay in the race.”

“We want to change the African mentality,” he stressed, adding that African teams have played “spectacular” games in previous World Cups, but “were eliminated from the first stage.”

He continued that the focus this year should be “to move on to the second round.” Recalling Saudi Arabia’s historic win against Argentina, while highlighting African and Arab countries' capacity to make significant gains in the tournament.

“Tomorrow, we will be solid, we will try to cause problems and make Africa proud, since we represent it,” he insisted. 

“The most important thing today is that Africa passes the group stage. We must prove that we are capable of passing. This requires a European state of mind. If we pass the group, I think we will be very dangerous," said the coach.

Noussair Mazraoui, Achraf Hakimi and captain Romain Saiss have all been injured in the course of the first game, but “we have to get over it, it is the World Cup,” he added, assuring that he has great faith in the players set to fill in.

Read Also: World Cup 2022: Morocco, Croatia Ends Match with 0-0 Draw

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link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2022/11/352629/regragui-morocco-belgium-game-will-be-tough-for-both-teams