Paris Saint-Germain will have had to wait, be patient and find the words to convince Morocco which is waiting for Achraf Hakimi to prepare for the African Cup of Nations (January 13 – February 11). Tuesday morning, a few hours before training before the match against Toulouse, there was still doubt about the presence of the Moroccan full-back for the Champions Trophy. But deliverance, in the form of a waiver, arrived on the edge. This fight until the last moments reflects the extent to which Achraf Hakimi has taken on a different dimension this season from previous years.
With Luis Enrique, the former Madrilenian is in the best position, free to project himself, attack, press high and refocus inside for even more complementarity with Ousmane Dembélé. Wednesday evening, against Toulouse, the Moroccan showed that the truce had done him a lot of good. Leggy and restless, he will leave a gaping void on his right side without really having an equivalent to replace him, while his departure is scheduled for Thursday morning.
“With the talent he has, he can do anything. We are happy to have a player like that. A great, talented player,” Marquinhos praised him on Amazon Prime to praise his ability to project himself forward. The difficulty now will be to find a replacement for him, someone capable in recent weeks of maintaining balance and bringing imbalance to the opponent as the ex-Interist does so well.
A return just before Real Sociedad?
Carlos Soler can play this role occasionally, it is less certain in the long term, especially in January when his future is not completely settled. Unlike last season, Nordi Mukiele is moving from further away to replace him since his less offensive profile corresponds less to Luis Enrique’s tactical expectations.
The latter could rather repeat the experience with Warren Zaire-Emery who finished 2023 in a register similar to that of Hakimi against Lille (1-1) and Metz (3-1). In the mind of the Spanish coach, the young 17-year-old talent ticks all the boxes to absorb both the offensive work, reinserting himself into the heart of the game, and the withdrawals to loss. It appears to be the most viable solution, on paper, in view of the latest choices of the former Barcelona player who will then have to ensure that the withdrawal from the midfield of the young French international is compensated by others, with Lee leaving for him. also for several weeks at the Asian Cup.
“He is a key player in our team and we will miss him but I hope that with Morocco he will go as far as possible,” explained Ousmane Dembélé soberly, who will have to do without a partner with whom he developed a strong connection since the start of the season. If the Frenchman’s wish comes true, the news would be less good for Paris Saint-Germain. The small final and the final of the CAN take place on February 10 and 11 in Ivory Coast and, in such a scenario, the Moroccan defender could not take part in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Real Sociedad, February 14. Again, that would be a big blow.
