A press conference punctuated by a certain clarification. Two days after a heated altercation with Chancel Mbemba, the captain of the Democratic Republic of Congo team, the Morocco coach denied having made racist remarks.
Sunday, on the sidelines of the meeting between these two teams, Walid Regragui and the defender of Olympique de Marseille insulted each other and the player insinuated to journalists that the coach had made racist remarks. During the press conference before the match between the Atlas Lions and Zambia (Wednesday at 9 p.m.), Regragui spoke on this subject.
“To say that I made racist remarks is shameful,” he lashed out, according to the journalist. Hanif Ben Berkane, present at the scene of the press conference. I will defend my image to the end. I received racist and death messages. It illustrates everything that is happening in the world. Mbemba had it too. It is not possible. »
????????️ Regragui’s update on the Mbemba affair:
“To say that I made racist comments is shameful. I will defend my image to the end. I received racist and dead messages. It illustrates everything that is happening in the world. Mbemba had it. It’s not possible… “
— Hanif Ben Berkane (@HanifBerkane) January 23, 2024
“It touched my family”
“It hurt me and it affected my family,” continued the Moroccan coach. In his interview, he never talked about racism, that’s where society is sick. People are taking advantage of it and it’s getting worse. And there are bad guys on both sides I’m here to calm things down. I condemn the messages he received and mine. »
Regragui assures him, he never insulted Mbemba. “I asked to be heard by CAF,” he added. I never insulted the player, it was never in my upbringing. » “It’s okay that he heard that (the cunt insult), even though I never said it, but by speaking the way he did, he’s implying that my remarks are racist, it’s dishonest,” Regragui had already lamented after the meeting. This Tuesday morning, the Confederation of African Football announced the opening of an investigation into this tense end to the match.
The Moroccans are preparing to play this Wednesday from 9 p.m., their third match in the group stage of the African Cup of Nations, but they are already qualified for the rest of the competition. So far, they have won 3 goals to 0 against Tanzania and conceded a draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-1).
