Achraf Hakimi returns from injury for Morocco

Achraf Hakimi has returned to action for Morocco, just 16 days after suffering a right-thigh injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s match against Brest.

The defender came off the bench in the 69th minute of Morocco’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho, completing around 20 minutes without apparent discomfort.

The match took place in Bloemfontein, South Africa, during the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Brahim Diaz opened the scoring before halftime, while Azzedine Ounahi sealed the result in the 82nd minute. Morocco now lead their group with six points from two matches.

Hakimi’s comeback will reassure PSG ahead of a demanding schedule. His injury forced him to miss only the 2-1 victory over Marseille, while the international break gave him time to recover. He initially trained individually before rejoining the squad.

The right-back was unavailable against Gabon because he was serving a suspension linked to incidents during the 2025 AFCON final, rather than because of his injury.

PSG will face Le Mans, Manchester City and Barcelona after the break. Hakimi’s return also allows Warren Zaire-Emery to move back into midfield, although Luis Enrique may carefully manage the defender’s minutes.