Thomas Tuchel, the coach of Bayern Munich, has provided insights into the potential participation of Moroccan international Noussair Mazraoui in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2023. Mazraoui, the left-back for the Atlas Lions, recently suffered a torn muscle bundle in his calf during a Champions League match against Manchester United.
Initially, reports suggested a minimum recovery period of six weeks, leading to doubts about Mazraoui’s availability for CAN 2023, scheduled to commence on January 13, 2024, in Ivory Coast.
However, the German channel Sport1 indicated a revised convalescence estimate ranging between four and six weeks, rekindling hopes of the player’s participation in the tournament.
With the deadline for squad submissions approaching on January 3, 2024, Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, may still consider including Mazraoui despite uncertainties about his physical condition.
Similar situations have occurred in the past, such as Ismaïla Sarr’s involvement with Senegal in the 2021 edition, where he was called up despite initial doubts and contributed significantly from the quarter-finals onward.
While Noussair Mazraoui is optimistic about his last-minute comeback, Bayern Munich’s coach, Thomas Tuchel, adopts a cautious stance regarding the player’s potential involvement.
Tuchel refrains from making definitive plans, acknowledging the possibility of Mazraoui’s strength diminishing, particularly in light of potential winter departures affecting Bayern Munich’s defensive lineup.
The situation is further complicated by the potential departure of the right-back’s regular starter, along with the qualifications of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Kim Min-Jae for the Asian Cup with Cameroon and South Korea, respectively.
Tuchel’s measured response reflects the uncertainties surrounding player availability and the dynamic nature of football rosters, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in the decision-making process as the tournament approaches.
🎙️ Tuchel on the upcoming AFCON and AFC Asian Cup in January: “We will have to wait and see whether Noussair Mazraoui will be able to take part due to his injury. We’ll be without Kim Minjae and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then.
We’re aware of this topic. We have a duty to let the… pic.twitter.com/vesCOxOqeF
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) December 19, 2023
