Morocco and Spain are facing head-to-head in the highly anticipated clash on Monday in Marseille as part of the Paris 2024 Olympics football semifinals.
The winner will secure a place in the finals, either facing Egypt or the host country, France.
Morocco and Spain displayed dominant performances to reach this stage, each securing impressive victories in the quarter-finals.
La Roja advanced in the tournament after cruising past Japan with a 3-0 win, while Morocco scored a resounding 4-0 victory against the United States.
Captained by Achraf Hakimi, the Atlas Lions have continued the national team’s tradition of making it to major semi-finals.
Hakimi, who played a pivotal role in Morocco’s stunning run to the Qatar 2022 World Cup semifinals, was once again instrumental in their quarterfinal victory over the USA.
In addition to Hakimi, Soufiane Rahimi delivered a stellar performance, netting five goals for his team throughout their first four matches.
Spain’s possible starting lineup
Today’s match will likely see Arnau Tenas as the goalkeeper. The list of defenders will feature Marc Pubill, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, and Juan Miranda. Javier Barrios, Alex Baena will take the midfield. Daniel Lopez, Fermin Lopez, and Sergio Gomez are set to be today’s attacking midfielders.
Morocco’s possible starting lineup
Morocco’s attack is spearheaded by Soufiane Rahimi, who has netted five goals in four games, supported by former Barcelona wingers Ilias Akhomach and Abde Ezzalzouli.
Achraf Hakimi, serving as captain, is one of the three overage players in the squad, alongside central defenders Mehdi Boukamir and Oussama El Azzouzi.
Predictions
The clash between Morocco and Spain is expected to be an intense battle. Spain’s attacking squad, led by Abel Ruiz and Fermin Lopez, will challenge Morocco’s strong defense.
Meanwhile, Morocco’s tactical organization and the talented Achraf Hakimi and Soufiane Rahimi pose a serious threat to the Spanish defense.
Spain has a slight edge in the match, entering with a rich Olympic history.