"The team needs time, certainly the talent is important but it is not enough," he said at a press briefing held Monday at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, which will host Tuesday evening the game between Morocco and Burundi as part of the 6th day of the qualifiers for the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN, group E).

"The task will be more complicated than I thought. There is something that bothers me but we must continue the work we started," he stated. To build a strong and competitive team, it takes "work, time and patience."

After the goalless draw against Mauritania, "I was not satisfied with the performance of the players," the national coach added. Agaisnt Burundi, being already qualified, "we can take some risks, he said.

The national team had secured its qualification for the African Cup of Nations (CAN), to be held in January 2022 in Cameroon, after its draw against Mauritania (0-0), Friday in Nouakchott, part of the 5th day of the qualifiers (Group E).

This result allowed Morocco to consolidate its leadership with 11 points, ahead of Burundi and Mauritania (6 pts) and the Central African Republic (4 pts).