Saibari’s Morocco position clarified as Ouahbi plans attacking role

Ismael Saibari may be listed as a midfielder for Morocco, but head coach Mohamed Ouahbi says the Bayern Munich player is expected to operate in one of the two most advanced positions.

The 25-year-old has regularly played close to the opposition penalty area and Ouahbi has confirmed that he will not be asked to move into a deeper midfield role when he features for the national team.

Saibari’s inclusion among the midfielders in Morocco’s squad for the opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers had raised questions about the new Bayern player’s role. Asked about the decision at a news conference, Ouahbi initially joked: “Perhaps there was more room on the attackers’ list.”

He then explained that Saibari could be used either as a number 10 or a number nine.

“He is a player who can play as a 10 or a 9. He did very well as a 9 during the World Cup. He also did very well as a 10 against Haiti,” said Ouahbi.

The manager believes the distinction between the two positions is less significant within Morocco’s system.

“Our way of playing means that the number 10 and number 9 positions are almost identical. For us, it is just a detail,” he added.

Saibari is therefore expected to remain in an advanced area of the pitch, with the freedom to drop deeper or run beyond the defence depending on the situation. That flexibility reflects his growing importance to Morocco, as well as his development into one of the country’s leading attacking players.

His status has also been strengthened by an outstanding 2025-2026 season. After winning the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven, Saibari was named the Netherlands’ best player for the campaign. He scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in 37 appearances in all competitions.

He has since moved to Bayern Munich, where he has made a successful start and scored his first goal for the club in Friday’s 7-0 victory over Union Berlin.

That progress means Saibari is no longer viewed simply as an additional option for the Lions. Ouahbi must now find a central role for him as he reshapes the team. In Ayoub El Kaabi’s absence, with the striker ruled out for several months, Yassir Zabiri, Tawfik Bentayeb and Soufiane Rahimi have been called up as centre-forward options.

However, Saibari will not be available for Morocco’s first 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Gabon on Friday. He was suspended following incidents during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final.

His ban was reduced on appeal to one match, allowing him to return against Lesotho in the second qualifying round and then feature against Ghana in a friendly.

Ouahbi has yet to decide how Morocco will approach those matches. “We have not yet thought about how we will play the final two games, but it will be one of those two positions, that is clear,” he said.

The uncertainty is therefore about whether Saibari will play as a false nine, a playmaker or a roaming forwardnot about his place in Morocco’s plans.