The Morning – The WAC begins the debate with a shock against the Sudanese Al Merreikh

Wydad Casablanca opens its football season this Saturday at 7 pm, with a shock against Sudanese club Al Merreikh in the round of 16 King Mohammed VI Cup champions Arab Championships. The Reds, who will be on four fronts this season, arrived Wednesday in Khartoum, where they play their first game of the season. After his arrival, the team completed two training sessions before Saturday's match. With the exception of five absences, all senior players should be lined up against Al Merreikh.

After a very frustrating 2018-2019 season, marked by the scandal of the final of the African Champions League, Wydad Casablanca enters the new season, under the sign of renewal and under the leadership of the new coach, Serb Zoran Manojlovic. The Reds inaugurate their season, this Saturday, by a duel against the legendary Sudanese club Al Merreikh, in the framework of the 16th of the final of the King Mohammed VI Cup of Arab Champion Clubs. After completing the final phase of preseason preparation in the city of Marrakech, the Reds landed on Wednesday in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, after a very long trip that lasted more than 28 hours, because of the lack of direct air link between Morocco is Sudan. After their arrival, the club's players completed two training sessions to acclimatize with the extremely hot temperatures in Sudan. The match against Al Merreikh is played this Saturday from 19 h, on the lawn of Al Merreikh stadium. The return leg is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, at the complex Mohammed V in Casablanca.

Five major absences against Al Merreikh
The Reds club should suffer from the absence of five of its elements in Saturday's game against Al Merrikh. Injured in training during a training of the national team of local, defensive midfielder Salah Eddine Saïdi, may be forfeited for the first matches of his team, whether in the Arab Cup or in the other competitions. Ismaïl El Haddad, also missing the call for the match on Saturday, because of an administrative problem. Not registered on the list of the Arab Cup, the new striker of the club, Kabongo Kasongo, is not part of the trip to Sudan. Also missing are Ugandan defender Murushid Juuko and midfielder Haitam El Bahja. According to some reports from Sudan, Abdelatif Noussir (defender) also reportedly injured his training. If this information is confirmed, it will be a blow for the club. Note that the WAC list for the Al Merreikh match includes 20 players, including Ayoub El Kaabi.