Almost a week after Morocco’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Senegal in the 2025 AFCON final, midfielder Ismael Saibari has spoken about the controversial towel incident that drew widespread attention.
The 24-year-old, who returned to PSV Eindhoven after the tournament, reflected on the moment he tried to prevent Senegal’s second goalkeeper, Yehvann Diouf, from passing his towel to Edouard Mendy.
The towel was seen by the Moroccan players as a lucky charm, and Saibari’s intervention sparked a heated debate across social media and in the press.
Speaking to ESPN, Saibari admitted he had underestimated the impact of his actions.
“When I got home, I didn’t realize how catastrophic the situation was. That’s why I immediately sent a message to someone in Senegal to apologize. I also apologized to Mendy at the hotel. The problem is resolved and it’s over. We need to move on. I was mainly concerned about the fact that we had lost the final. I didn’t really pay attention to that.”
🗣️ 🇲🇦 Ismaël Saibari : « En rentrant chez moi, j’ai compris que mon geste concernant les 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗦 avait été mal interprété. 😏
J’ai immédiatement présenté mes excuses aux joueurs sénégalais..
Je n’ai jamais ressenti autant d’émotions..» pic.twitter.com/fcQEpXQPEA
— FRMF Xtra (@FRMFXtra) January 23, 2026
The Moroccan international described the incident as an impulsive reaction in the heat of the moment.
Despite issuing a mea culpa on social media and personally apologizing to Mendy, Saibari remains at risk of facing disciplinary action from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The episode has overshadowed Morocco’s campaign in what was a dramatic tournament, drawing attention to player conduct and the intensity of emotions following a major final.
For Saibari, the focus now is on moving forward with his club career at PSV while the controversy gradually subsides.
The midfielder will turn 25 on 28 January, and both he and the Moroccan team hope the incident will soon be a closed chapter as they regroup ahead of upcoming international and club fixtures.
