Stalwart Saadane using RSL knowhow to push Morocco past Saudi Arabia at FIFA Arab Cup | OneFootball

Morocco take on Saudi Arabia on Monday knowing they need a win, or at least a point, to book their place in the knockout rounds of the FIFA Arab Cup.

With the Green Falcons already ensured of progression, the match at Lusail Stadium, site of their historic win against Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, effectively becomes a play-off to determine who finishes top of the group.

Do that, and chances of advancing deep into this tournament enhance, with a quarter-final clash against either Palestine or Syria awaiting them.

Saudi Arabia’s sometimes misfiring attack has looked anything but throughout this tournament, with five goals in their opening two fixtures as Herve Renard’s side begin to find their groove little more than 12 months after the Frenchman returned to the helm.

So the inexperienced Moroccan defence, with less than 30 caps shared between the eight listed defenders coming into Qatar, will have their work cut out trying to stop the likes of Salem Al Dawsari, Feras Al Buraikan and Musab Al Juwayr.

But there is one player who will be far more familiar with how to do just that: Marwane Saadane. The central defender, 33, has spent the past seven seasons in the Roshn Saudi League on the books of Al Fateh.

With his most recent caps for the Atlas Lions earned at the previous FIFA Arab Cup in 2021, Saadane was called up again as part of the largely domestic (and entirely MENA-based) squad for the current edition.

With the FIFA World Cup only six months away, this might be the last chance for any of Morocco’s players to stake a serious claim.

Grab the attention of national-team manager Walid Regragui, who has delegated responsibility for this tournament to Under-23 head coach Tarik Sektioui, and place in North America next summer could be theirs.

While Saadane came off the bench against Comoros in the opening game, which Morocco won 3-1, the RSL star started in the following game, a 0-0 draw against Oman.

And, given his knowledge of playing against the representatives of this Saudi side, he will no doubt be central to their plans as they try to nullify the threat of Al Dawsari and Co.

And, really, it would be hard to find a better player for the job.

Now in his seventh season in the RSL, Saadane has been one of the standout defenders in the division, consistently registering inside the top 20 for clearances. Last season, he ranked as high as second, behind only Abdelkader Bedrane, who is also featuring at the FIFA Arab Cup, with Algeria.

Saadane has also regularly been positioned towards the top at Al Fateh for completed passes which, while defenders can sometimes pad out passes between themselves, also demonstrates his importance to the team in bringing the ball out of defence.

In nine matchweeks this season, the imposing Moroccan is ranked inside the top 20 in the RSL for percentage of duels won, sitting equal-15th with a success rate of 63.5 percent from his 52 recorded duels.

While he hasn’t found the back of the net since March 2024, in a 2-1 defeat to Al Khaleej, Saadane has at times during his long stint in Al Ahsa proven himself to be a danger at the other end of the pitch.

Indeed, in his debut campaign in 2019-20, he scored seven times before netting another seven across the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons combined.

No matter what area of the pitch, Saadane has been the consummate professional for Al Fateh, which explains his longevity at a club that has seen six different managers during his time there. Last season, he was integral to Al Fateh's great escape from relegation.

Unquestionably, his ability to adapt and deliver season after season has been a credit to himself and no doubt must’ve helped earn his recall to the national team.

And now he faces possibly his biggest moment in the red of Morocco: staring down those he plays against on a weekly basis with a spot in the FIFA Arab Cup quarter-finals on the line.

For a player that has given so much to football in Saudi Arabia, just this once he’ll be looking to take something away instead.