Morocco vs Comoros: Hakimi's last-minute return

by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Geoffrey Ejiga

image Morocco vs Comoros: Hakimi's last-minute return
Morocco fans rejoice as their stat-man Achraf Hakimi joins the nation’s 26-man list for their AFCON 2025 campaign. After being sidelined due to a nasty ankle injury in November, the reigning African Player of the Year is surprisingly back on his feet and ready for Morocco’s opening game against Comoros. But how will Hakimi’s return impact Walid Regragui's game plan on Sunday, especially as the Morocco coach remains cautious with the PSG man?

Is Hakimi Match Ready After Missing Six Weeks of Action?

For the UCL champion and the latest African Player of the Year award winner, slotting back into the Morocco squad against Comoros, even after six weeks of inaction, shouldn't be a problem.

However, for coach Walid Regragui, who is eying a final on home soil, it may be too early for Achraf’s return. While Morocco will especially want to start their campaign on the right foot with a convincing win over Comoros, prioritizing a fully-fit Hakimi in the later, more grueling stages of this tournament will likely be the plan.

How will Hakimi’s absence or presence affect Morocco's opening game? See our expert's Morocco vs Comoros prediction!

Speaking to reporters, Hakimi said, "I feel good. I'm ​following the programme with the doctors and the coach (Walid Regragui). After that, we'll see what the coach decides. You can ask him." He added, “I wanted to be there with the team. I don't know when I'll play, but I feel ready,"

Determined not to miss the 2025 AFCON, which Morocco is hosting, Hakimi spent the past six weeks undergoing intense rehabilitation, which his coach acknowledged. Yet, Regragui made it clear that Hakimi against Comoros is a 50-50.

"Does he start, or do we rest him? We'll see, that will be my decision," the coach said. "He could start tomorrow ... or not."

How Morocco Will Lineup With or Without Hakimi

Hakimi owns the right-back position for The Atlas Lions. But when the PSG man is out of action or not starting, coach Regragui relies on Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui to get the job done.

Mazraoui is an equally solid choice in that position, as he contributes greatly to the attack, even if he isn't as sharp as Hakimi. Interestingly, just as Hakimi has three assists in his last four games for Morocco, Mazraoui also has three assists in his last four for the national team.

Mazraoui even won the man of the match award in his latest International Friendly game against Uganda. While the game against Comoros is anything but friendly, Mazraoui is definitely up to the task if Hakimi remains on the bench.

But if Comoros proves too tough a nut to crack, we might see a second-half appearance from Hakimi. The PSG man was instrumental in Morocco’s 2022 Group C 2-0 win over Comoros in this very tournament, where he played all 90 minutes as one of the highest-rated players on the pitch.