FIFA Club World Cup - Walid Regragui: "Wydad can go to the final

Wydad Casablanca in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup: this is the firm belief of Walid Regragui. To do this, the Reds must imperatively win their first match, believes the Atlas Lions' selector.

Walid Regragui sees Wydad Casablanca playing in the final of the Club World Cup. The competition will be held on Moroccan soil from February 1 to 11. Former manager of the Reds, Regragui is confident for them. However, he poses a condition for the Moroccan club to achieve this feat. Wydad will have to win their first match against the Saudi Arabian team of Al Hilal. "I think the trap game is Al Hilal. If they manage to pass Al Hilal, they can go to the final against Real Madrid. Everything is possible," said the coach of the Atlas Lions speaking to FIFA.com. In case of qualification, the Reds will face Flamengo in the semi-finals.

Winner of the CAF Champions League, Wydad is second in the Moroccan championship with 31 points. The Casablanca team is full of talent, says Regragui. "Like last season, we have some key players who were at the World Cup: left back [Yahya] Attiat Allah, goalkeeper [Reda] Tagnaouti, captain Yahya Jabrane. Ayman El Hassouni is very talented and perhaps deserves to do better in his career because he has so many qualities. Maybe we will discover him during this World Cup. In any case, they have a backbone that was with me last year. They have strengthened well too. The backbone is important".

Wydad will be able to count on its public. And Regragui is full of praise for the fans of the Casablanca club. "People will discover extraordinary fans, worthy of South American fans, perhaps one of the best audiences in the world. There will be tifos I think. There will be a great atmosphere. I have had an extraordinary year with this crowd. Casablanca is really a soccer city. It's great for Morocco - especially after the World Cup - to see that there is soccer, that there is a public and that there are beautiful stadiums. It's going to be fantastic for our country," exclaimed the 2022 World Cup semi-finalist.