‘It’s difficult to win in Morocco’ – Atlas Lions head coach warns Super Eagles ahead of clash
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has issued a pointed warning to the Super Eagles ahead of Wednesday night’s AFCON 2025 semi-final in Rabat, stressing that facing the Atlas Lions on home soil is a severe test for any team.
Nigeria arrive in the last-four clash in commanding form, having won all five of their matches at the tournament, scoring 14 goals and conceding just four.
Their consistency and attacking output have marked them out as one of the competition’s most efficient sides and a clear threat to the hosts’ title ambitions.
“It is very difficult to win in Morocco”
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Regragui underlined the influence of the Moroccan crowd, drawing comparisons with their previous outing against Cameroon.
“You make your opponent uncomfortable. Cameroon came with confidence and one of their players said it was like Dortmund fans,” he said.
“But that is a big mistake. When you play in Morocco, you have only Morocco fans. You don’t play in Dortmund or Madrid.”
The Atlas Lions boss insisted that the Rabat atmosphere is a decisive factor that opponents only fully appreciate once the match begins.
“This stadium is difficult for every opponent, and you feel this only when you are on the pitch,” Regragui added. “I hope tomorrow the Moroccan fans will do their best for the team. It is very difficult to win in Morocco.”
Nigeria focused on execution, not noise
Despite the psychological pressure being applied from the Moroccan camp, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle will be relying on his players’ composure, tactical discipline and mental resilience to neutralise the hostile environment.
