Morocco Denies Club Exemption for Abde Ezzalzouli

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation has shut the door on Real Betis’s attempt to keep Abde Ezzalzouli out of the upcoming international window, sending a clear message ahead of a crucial September camp.

According to Moroccan outlet “Le360 Sport”, Betis approached the federation with a request: allow Ezzalzouli to skip Mohamed Ouahbi’s call-up for the fixtures against Gabon and Lesotho. The Spanish club wanted their winger spared the long journey to South Africa, where the Atlas Lions will gather before facing Lesotho in 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

The answer was blunt. No.

Betis request backfires

If Betis were hoping to argue fatigue or fitness, Ezzalzouli’s recent appearance against Villarreal did them no favours. His involvement in that match only strengthened Morocco’s position.

From the federation’s point of view, the logic is simple: if he is fit enough to play for Betis, he is fit enough to report for national duty. There is no injury, no stated physical problem, nothing that justifies him missing the camp.

So the stance is firm. Unless a new, clearly defined issue emerges in the coming days, Ezzalzouli is expected to join up with Morocco during the international break.

High-stakes qualifiers

Morocco’s schedule leaves little room for compromise. They face Gabon on 25 September and Lesotho on 29 September, both matches counting towards qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

These are not friendlies to experiment in quietly. They are competitive fixtures that matter to a squad still shaping its identity under Ouahbi. Every call-up, every omission, feeds into a bigger plan.

The coach is preparing to announce his final squad for the camp, a 23-man list due next Thursday. That reveal will answer a few simmering questions, especially around players who were part of Morocco’s last World Cup adventure and now sit on the edge of selection.

Ezzalzouli in the frame

Right now, Ezzalzouli looks well placed. The federation has already rebuffed Betis’s attempt to hold him back, and his recent minutes in La Liga support the technical staff’s view that he is ready to contribute.

The tug-of-war between club and country is nothing new. This time, Morocco have drawn a hard line. With AFCON qualification on the horizon and a new era under Ouahbi taking shape, they are not about to let one of their key attacking options sit this one out.