“I think the two teams will be liberated. I am expecting a game similar to the first leg, very open and attacking with two teams looking for the win,” the national head coach said on Thursday at the pre-match press conference.

 Congratulating the Gabonese team on qualifying for the CAN 2025, and welcoming them to Morocco for the tournament, Walid Regragui recalled that matches between the team are always always difficult. “We're very happy to be in Gabon, and we know the friendship that binds our two peoples,” he added.

 “Gabon, who have always had very good players, have a real attacking style of play,” he said, adding that the Atlas Lions “will be taking part in a very good match and in very good conditions.”

This game, he added, will be different against a team that will be liberated and already qualified, which will impact the style of play of both selections. “The aim for us is to have a different challenge in each match. Every away match for any team in Africa is difficult, which is a good challenge for us,” he said.

Speaking on certain injured players, the national coach said that “there are a few concerns with players who have been injured, but the bulk of our squad is present.” “We will wait until the last training session to find out how the trip went for some of the players, and check for any remaining issues to see whether they'll be able to take part in the match next Monday,” he explained.

For him, the idea is to review the squad without shaking it up too much. “We need to have certainties for each match if we are to progress together,” he said, adding that the new players who have joined the national squad since the last CAN must adapt to the team. 

He added that the Atlas Lions' objective is to win this match and to have a statement away game, noting that “this is a match between two very good teams, two countries that appreciate each other”.