Morocco experiences its first disappointment
The African Cup of Nations continues in Morocco and it is the first disappointment for the host country. “ Morocco under the whistle ” writing The Team. Under the eyes of Kylian Mbappé, the Atlas Lions led the score against Mali this Friday and held their qualification for the round of 16 of the CAN for a while, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw, during the 2nd day of group A. Brahim Diaz and Lassine Sinayoko were the two penalty scorers. An average performance which made the stadium roar as the whistles came down from the stands, as a symbol of the frustration of an entire people. For Moroccan Media The 360It is ” a bitter-tasting loser “. The massive presence of supporters and their status as favorites put a lot of pressure on the Atlas Lions. They had difficulty deploying their game against the catchy and ambitious Eagles, and above all evolving without complexes, allowing themselves the luxury of carrying out dangerous counterattacks. The daily, The morning goes further and writes that “ Morocco complicates the task of qualifying for the round of 16 “. A frustrating result which complicates the mission of the national selection for qualification. From now on, Yassine Bounou’s teammates are obliged to win against Zambia to avoid major disappointment. If the Moroccan press is quite harsh with the result and the performance, for coach Walid Regragui, there is no reason to sound the alarm. The Moroccan coach even declared “ to be almost happy » to see his record of 19 consecutive victories come to an end.
AC Milan offers Maignan an extension
In Italy, Mike Maignan is close to extending to AC Milan. The Italian club has officially submitted an extension offer to Mike Maignan until 2030, with a salary comparable to that of Rafael Leão. The club considers this extension a priority and is mobilizing the goalkeeper’s entire entourage to convince him to stay. The proposed contract would run until 2029 with a one-year option. The salary would be slightly lower than the player’s initial request of around €7.5m/year, with bonuses linked to Champions League qualification potentially closing the gap. Arriving in 2021, Maignan has found under Massimiliano Allegri a level close to that of the Scudetto season: reactivity, explosiveness and leadership on the rise. The coach sees him as an irreplaceable player. Milan are in any case convinced of having done the maximum financially while respecting their salary cap.
Valvderde is not comfortable
In the Madrid press, particularly among A.S. this time, “ Valverde raises doubts “. Federico Valverde is going through a period of doubts at Real Madrid, and Xabi Alonso intends to make it one of his major projects for 2026. Since the start of the season, the Uruguayan has played 9 games out of 22 at right back, a consequence of repeated injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Carvajal. If Xabi Alonso had praised this ability to do everything, this adaptability now seems to weigh on him. Valverde admitted “ not feeling comfortable on the side “, although he repeats that he never refused to play for the team. Words which caused a temporary friction that was quickly resolved between the player and the staff. Xabi Alonso continues to count on him, but wants to find the explosive and decisive version which had scored 12 goals under Ancelotti by repositioning him in his natural role of midfielder who projects into the opposing side.
