Morocco coach Walid Regragui has urged focus on the game rather than refereeing debates ahead of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinal clash against Nigeria.
The hosts face the Super Eagles on Wednesday, January 14, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with kick-off set for 20:00 GMT.
Speaking to the media, Regragui dismissed claims that referees influence outcomes, saying, “Talking about refereeing is bad. We are in a beautiful continent, there is a lot of work being done, and some people imagine we win matches thanks to referees.”
He acknowledged that refereeing controversies are a global phenomenon and called on journalists to focus on match analysis rather than fueling disputes.
“A penalty is given in one match and not in another. That is football,” he added.
Regragui cited examples from Morocco’s campaign, including the penalty awarded against Tanzania, which sparked discussions about the physical differences between players, and incidents in games against Mali and Cameroon where fouls on Moroccan players, such as Bilal El Khannouss and Abde Ezzalzouli, went unpunished.
“If VAR had been used properly, those decisions would have been different,” he said.
Despite these grievances, Regragui emphasized that his priority remains preparing his team.
“I only talk to my players about the pitch and winning matches. You will never hear me complain about referees, even after our elimination in Côte d’Ivoire. We must help referees, not attack them,” he concluded.
