Hakim Ziyech left out of Wydad squad amid dispute with club president

Hakim Ziyech has been excluded from Wydad Casablanca’s latest match and will not be included in the club’s pre-season camp as his dispute with president Ibrahim El Asri intensifies.

The 33-year-old Morocco international was reportedly prevented from playing against Renaissance Zemamra after arriving to warm up with his team-mates.

According to Le360 Sport, Wydad head coach Paulo Sergio Brito told Ziyech that he could not take part in the match because of a decision made by the president. The former Chelsea player was subsequently left out of the squad for the club’s pre-season training camp.

The incident marks a significant escalation in the disagreement between Ziyech and Wydad’s new leadership. Until recently, the attacking player had continued to train normally and had featured in a friendly against Ittihad Tanger.

Ziyech joined Wydad Casablanca as the club’s headline signing last autumn, during the presidency of Hicham Ait Menna. However, he is now in open conflict with the administration led by El Asri.

The president wants to reduce the salary of the Morocco international, who has won 64 caps and scored 25 goals for his country. El Asri also wants to adjust Ziyech’s contract, which is due to expire next year, while introducing a signing-on bonus paid in several instalments.

Ziyech has categorically rejected those proposals, setting up a prolonged dispute over the terms of his agreement.

The player responded to his latest omission by sharply criticising El Asri in the comments section of an Instagram post. He explained why he had not played and directly referred to the Wydad president, accusing him of spreading lies.

The remarks echo the claim that the club president would “surely lie, as always”, underlining the increasingly hostile tone of the disagreement.

With the Moroccan league season due to begin on 24 September, Ziyech’s future at Wydad Casablanca is now uncertain. The latest decision to prevent him from appearing against Renaissance Zemamra, followed by his exclusion from the pre-season camp, has placed his position at the club under further pressure.

Ziyech’s arrival had been viewed as a major move for Wydad Casablanca, but the breakdown in relations with the club’s new leadership has left his continued involvement with the Red Castle in serious doubt.