Ziyech left out of Morocco squad because of ‘poor behaviour’

Ahead of Morocco’s opening match in the second round of FIFA World Cup qualifying, controversy erupted as soon as manager Vahid Halihodzic announced his squad due to the omission of Chelsea playmaker Hakim Ziyech with a fallout between player and manager the suspected cause. In pre-match comments before the Atlas Lions’ opening match against Sudan, Halihodzic addressed the issue and confirmed those suspicions by criticizing Ziyech’s attitude and actions during Morocco’s friendly matches against Ghana and Burkina Faso earlier in the summer as unacceptable. Stating that Ziyech needs to show maximum commitment, this marks the second time the 28-year-old has been at odds with his national team coach after having previous issues with former manager Hervé Renard.