Arrived from Bayern Munich in summer 2024, the Atlas lion of the Ussair Mazraoui quickly established itself in the eleven of Manchester United, competing for more minutes than in the two previous seasons and a half combined. We have expressed an open heart during an interview with The National News, describing an intense year, marked by an express adaptation, the discovery of the frantic pace of the Premier League and a first European final, before projecting on the African Cup of Nations with the Atlas Lions that Morocco will host next December.
On his first season at Manchester United, number 3 mainly retains his regularity and playing time: “On a personal level, thanks to my physical form and the number of games that I played, I can say that I had a good season.”
“I changed my mind: to be in shape and ready. I think it helped me play as many games. I already knew that by reaching my real level, I would play a lot ”he added.
About the specificities of the Premier League, Mazraoui insists on the absence of a winter cut and the overall quality of the championship: “It was the first time that I had no winter break. On the contrary, there are even more games. And then there is the speed of the game. It is high, but it also is very due to the quality of other teams. ”
Despite a disappointing season on the collective level, the former Bayern Munich player retains several positive points: “I played more minutes last season than during the two and half years previously gathered. I also reached my first European final. Not winning it hurt, but getting there was already a first step. ”
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On a personal level, the versatile player describes himself as a simple teammate close to his family: “I am a calm. I try to be nice to everyone. Apart from football, I like to spend time with my family. This summer, I tried sea fishing, but I didn’t catch anything ”
Regarding his most complicated opponents to contain, he notably quotes Brighton’s Japanese winger: “Mohamed Salah, Kaoru Mitoma, Anthony Elaga … But Mitoma was the hardest. In the first match, I had held it well. But in the second, he scored two goals, and I really blamed myself. ”
About his favorite position, the Moroccan international does not hesitate: “Right rear remains my favorite post, the one where I feel best. There, everything is natural ”.
Mazraoui appreciates the human qualities of his coach Ruben Amorim: “He is a great coach and a large person. I really like working with him. It has a lot of values, which are also mine ”.
The final lost in Bilbao remains a bitter regret: “We knew how to control the game, having a lot of passes, but collectively, we did not find the solution to mark. It was a bit of a summary of our season. ”
About the practice of football during Ramadan, he assumes immediately: “It’s like any other month, except that there is no food or water. But I always have to play, run, so no excuses. My faith is everything for me. It is a small price to pay ”.
Finally, he talks about the next CAN that the kingdom will welcome: “I think it will be incredible, an exceptional CAN in our country. It’s been a long time since we won it, so pressure and expectations are high. We have a big team, a great coach. ”
And to add to the infrastructure under construction for the CAN and the 2030 World Cup: “The Federation and everyone work for it to be a unique experience, for us, for other countries and for supporters. And with the prospect of the 2030 World Cup, it will be even greater ”.
