Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw has labelled Morocco as the favourites to lift the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated showdown.
The Lions of Teranga face the tournament hosts at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with kick-off set for 19:00 GMT.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Thiaw acknowledged the challenge of playing against the host nation and pointed to Morocco’s impressive run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as evidence of their strength.
“Playing against the host country is never easy. But in the end, it’s 11 players against 11. I hope everything goes well,” he said.
Thiaw stressed that Senegal must be fully prepared both technically and tactically to stand a chance against a formidable Moroccan side.
“To win, we must be ready technically and tactically. It will be a tough game against a strong Moroccan team, which reached the World Cup 2022 semi-finals,” he said.
He added that Morocco’s World Cup success elevated the profile of African football on the global stage.
“That achievement raised the level of African football, and tomorrow we will be facing a very strong team that will do everything possible to win,” Thiaw said.
Despite acknowledging Morocco’s status, the Senegal coach insisted his side will rise to the occasion.
“We will play the game and do our best to win. We know how to handle these situations.”
Thiaw concluded by reiterating Morocco’s position as favourites, citing their superior FIFA ranking.
“The favourite is Morocco. They are first in the FIFA ranking (in Africa), and we are 18th,” he added.
