Manchester United have lodged a formal complaint with FIFA after the Moroccan Football Federation refused to allow Noussair Mazraoui to feature in their Premier League clash against Bournemouth.
Manchester United have escalated a dispute with the Moroccan Football Federation to FIFA after defender Noussair Mazraoui was barred from playing against Bournemouth.
The Red Devils are reportedly “irked” that Morocco refused to grant a release waiver for the Monday night fixture, which fell within the official FIFA mandatory release window for the Africa Cup of Nations. United officials feel unfairly penalized by a schedule change that was beyond the club’s control.
The absence of Mazraoui, coupled with injuries to senior defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire, left manager Ruben Amorim to field a “makeshift” backline in the 4-4 draw.
While United successfully negotiated early releases for Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo with their respective nations, Morocco remained firm on prioritizing their training schedule.
Despite the club’s complaints, FIFA has reportedly “sided with Morocco,” confirming that the national team was within its rights to demand the player’s presence.
United’s frustration stems from the belief that Morocco chose to “prioritize a training session over an important Premier League fixture.”
Sources indicate that while Mazraoui remained professional and trained with United until Sunday, the club felt the federation’s stance was unnecessarily rigid.
This friction highlights the ongoing tension between European clubs and African national teams during the mid-season tournament, with United claiming they were “unfairly punished” by the mandatory release regulations.