Manchester United have been left disappointed and frustrated after a failed attempt to field defender Noussair Mazraoui in their dramatic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on Monday night.
FIFA Rule Clashes with TV Scheduling
The core of the dispute centres on FIFA regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The governing body mandates that players called up for the tournament must be released by their clubs seven days before their nation's first match. For Morocco, whose opening game is against Comoros on December 21st, that release date fell on December 15th.
United's match against Bournemouth was originally scheduled for Saturday, December 14th, which would have allowed Mazraoui to play. However, the fixture was moved to Monday, December 16th for broadcast by Sky Sports, placing it after the FIFA deadline. Club sources believe they have been unfairly penalised by this TV-driven date change.
United's Appeal Overruled by FIFA
In an effort to keep the 28-year-old full-back available, Manchester United pressed the Moroccan football federation and subsequently escalated the matter to FIFA. The club argued their case but the world governing body ultimately sided with Morocco, delivering a significant blow to manager Rubén Amorim's plans.
This forced Amorim to field a younger defensive pairing of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven against Bournemouth in Mazraoui's absence. The decision stands in contrast to agreements reached with other nations. United expressed gratitude after the federations of Ivory Coast and Cameroon granted permission for Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo to feature in the Premier League before joining their squads.
Significant Fixture Absences Loom
The immediate consequence is that Mazraoui, along with Amad and Mbeumo, will now miss a critical run of domestic fixtures as they depart for AFCON. The trio will be absent for at least the following matches:
- The difficult away trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.
- The Boxing Day clash against Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
- The home fixture versus Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 30th.
Their absence could extend much further. Should their national teams progress to the AFCON final on January 18th, they would also miss up to three more Premier League games and an FA Cup third-round tie at home to Brighton & Hove Albion. Notably, Amad and Mbeumo are set to be on opposing sides when Ivory Coast faces Cameroon in the group stage on December 28th.
