El-Aynaoui cements role as Morocco linchpin before Senegal final | OneFootball

Neil el-Aynaoui has emerged as Morocco’s metronome at the Africa Cup of Nations, and will be central against Senegal in Sunday’s final at 20:00. L'Équipe notes that the AS Roma midfielder has been a pillar since the start.

He started Wednesday’s semi-final against Nigeria, a 0-0 settled 4-2 on penalties.

The 24-year-old delayed his call-up for nearly two years, prioritising club progress despite being the son of celebrated tennis player Younes. Since debuting in September against Niger, he has started every game and has not been substituted, the lone survivor of the original trio with Sofyan Amrabat and Azzedine Ounahi.

With Ounahi injured and Amrabat first short then fit again, el-Aynaoui has dropped in front of the defence. Walid Regragui values his movement and sense of balance, and Morocco’s parsimony owes much to a player formed at Nancy then Lens.

The relationship almost collapsed during his hesitation. Regragui nearly closed the door before calming down, reopening talks and persuading him, and now sees him as vital with eight or 10 years ahead for the national team.

He was due to join for the last edition in Côte d’Ivoire but withdrew. In March, Regragui said the decision could not drag on and warned he would take it himself if the player did not.

Lens sporting director Jean-Louis Leca describes an intelligent leader with real steel, and his sale brought nearly €23m to RCL. Next is an anticipated generational duel with Idrissa Gueye, 36, and el-Aynaoui says the most important step still awaits.

Source: L'Équipe