Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has dismissed claims that his team might benefit from external factors ahead of Wednesday’s AFCON 2025 semi-final clash with Nigeria, insisting that the only edge Morocco has is the support of its home fans.
At a lively pre-match press briefing on Monday, Regragui addressed growing debates surrounding refereeing decisions, particularly after Morocco’s 2–0 quarter-final win over Cameroon, which sparked controversy over several denied penalty appeals for the Indomitable Lions.
The Atlas Lions coach was adamant that no favoritism influenced the result, stating that criticism stems largely from Morocco’s position as one of the tournament favourites.
“People always look for reasons to say Morocco has an advantage because we are the team to beat,” Regragui told reporters. “The only advantage we have is playing in front of 65,000 fans. Everything else happens on the pitch. We let our performance speak.”
The former Wydad Casablanca manager also cited statistics to highlight Morocco’s superiority, noting that his team creates more scoring opportunities and has had no goals unfairly disallowed. “Numbers prove we have been the better side. Some people just want to find excuses,” he added.
Morocco comes into the semi-final on the back of a remarkable 25-match unbeaten streak, which started after their unexpected exit to South Africa in the previous AFCON. Bolstered by home support and growing confidence, Regragui’s squad believes it is well-placed to finally capture continental glory.
However, standing in their path are Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles, who are widely regarded as the tournament’s most dangerous attacking team. Nigeria will be aiming to halt Morocco’s home-soil dream and move closer to claiming their first AFCON title since 2013.
With 25 games unbeaten and over 65,000 fans behind them, Morocco is a formidable opponent—but can Nigeria end their streak and secure a place in the AFCON final? Share your predictions in the comments.
