Morocco boss issues Achraf Hakimi injury update as AFCON kick-off looms | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain star is not expected to feature in tournament opener

Morocco head coach Walid Regragui is confident Achraf Hakimi will be fit to feature at AFCON this month.

The Atlas Lions are now less than 48 hours from facing Comoros in their tournament opener, but captain Hakimi’s involvement is still a doubt as he pushes to recover from a sprained ankle.

Four weeks on, Regragui has no doubt Hakimi will be involved for Morocco at AFCON, though doubts remain as to whether he will be passed fit in time to face Comoros.

"We're very positive about Achraf's participation,” Regragui told Brut Afrique.

Achraf Hakimi kept his injured ankle elevated on a pushcart at the African Footballer of the Year award ceremony

AFP via Getty Images

He kept his cards close to his chest, though, when asked exactly which match he could return for.

“In any case... which match and when? He'll definitely play in the AFCON with us, that's for sure. We have some information, but we're going to keep it to ourselves."

AFCON’s official social media channels set the rumour mill spinning ahead of the tournament when it shared a nine-second clip of the PSG star juggling a ball on set at the tournament’s media day.

He has already missed seven PSG matches, including a Champions League win over Tottenham, as he works to recover from this injury, and could stand to miss a further four should Morocco reach the AFCON final, as many expect them to.

Hakimi boasts 88 Morocco caps, and was the face of the side which reached the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup, only to be knocked out by eventual runners-up France.