The CAN 2025 final continues to cause turmoil several months after its outcome. Beaten on the field by Senegal, Morocco then won its case before the Appeal Jury of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In March, the body declared the Atlas Lions winners of the competition, while withdrawing the title from the Senegalese. A decision contested by the opposing party before the CAS.
Fouzi Lekjaa remains particularly firm on the Moroccan position. In an interview given to Young Africathe boss of the FRMF believes that the events that occurred during the final constitute a violation of the rules of football: “We are rather always faithful to our culture of the kingdom of Morocco, of the Cherifian kingdom, which is to be legalist. We respect the law, we do not influence or impact the decision through marginal controversy, which in any case will not impact the decisions. Obviously, we consider that the rules of football, the legal rules of a football match have been obstructed, violated by our opponent. Whether it is Senegal, whether the contesting team is Moroccan or other, the most important thing is the observation of a slippage in relation to the rules of football practice. »
The Moroccan leader points out in particular the withdrawal of Senegalese players from the field after the penalty awarded to Morocco in the last minutes of the match. According to him, this interruption could not remain without consequences. Lekjaa also draws on a recent development in Fifa regulations concerning players voluntarily leaving the field during a match: “Moreover, Fifa, just after this event, changed its regulations to say that the player who leaves the field is punished with a red card. This strengthens our position. (…) We cannot observe breaks of 15, 20 minutes, 30 minutes in a match. (…) That’s not football, it’s never been football and it never will be football. We have campaigned and we will continue to campaign for the reestablishment of this beyond the issue of this match, in any case, the law – at CAF level – has proven us right: we are African champions. »
No response on October 8
But the next meeting before the CAS will not yet correspond to the moment of truth. While October 8 had been presented as an important date in the procedure, Fouzi Lekjaa confirmed that no decision will be announced that day. A first meeting is planned, before other discussions between the different parties.
“On October 8, there will be the first meeting of the CAS. It won’t be the last. So on October 8, he will not have the decision. Since you spoke on behalf of the Moroccans, they will be aware of this. There will be more meetings, but the final decision will come. And of course, being purely legalistic, we do not believe that the law will deviate from this overall logic. » Senegal and Morocco will therefore have to wait longer before knowing the definitive outcome of this legal battle.
