In Morocco, the Atlas Lions eagerly awaited for their face-to-face with Brazil

The world – It is a great fervor that should animate the supporters who will travel to the Tangier stadium. Saturday evening March 25, the Atlas Lions, revelation of the World Cup in Qatar with a fourth place, will meet the Auriverdes of the Brazilian national team in a friendly match, at 10 p.m. (local time).

To celebrate its comeback, the Moroccan selection did not want to hear about an away match, especially since its last appearance on its soil dates from June 13, 2022, in Casablanca, against Liberia (2-0 ) for the qualifications of the African Cup of Nations (CAN). A little over three months after their flamboyant Qatari career, Morocco absolutely wanted to play the first of two friendly matches in March (they are exempt from the 3^e et 4^e qualifying days for CAN 2024) in front of their audience, the second being scheduled for March 28 in Madrid, Spain, against Peru.

The Moroccans had considered being able to face Argentina, crowned with their title of world champion. But it is an end of inadmissibility that the South American selection addressed to the North Africans, the Albiceleste also wishing to celebrate his coronation at home with his bannerspreferring Panama (March 23) and Curaçao (March 28) to Morocco.

“We wanted a big team, explains an internal source at the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). Brazil has become obvious. In Morocco, when we think of football, we think above all of Brazil, it is a reference. And this team was available”,

“The enthusiasm is incredible”

he arrival from Brazil, which will certainly be deprived of several of its stars (Neymar, Richarlison, Marquinhos), all injured, obviously has a cost. According to information from World Africathe amount of the total envelope (air transport, accommodation and catering in a five-star hotel, on-site transport, security and stamp of the Brazilian federation) varies between 1 and 1.5 million euros “That’s what it takes to move an opponent of this caliber”, confirms an agent organizing international matches. In Morocco, it is even said that King Mohammed VI, whose budget minister, Fouzi Lekjaa, is also the president of the FRMF, has decided to bear the total cost of the operation.

The FRMF chose the Ibn-Batouta stadium in Tangier, which can accommodate 65,000 spectators, to host the five-time world champions, whose last visit to the Maghreb dates back to June 6, 1973, on the occasion of a friendly match won in Tunisia (4-1). The body has decided to practice a reasonable pricing policy, since the price of tickets will be 10 euros, 30 euros and 50 euros. More than 800,000 requests for places have been issued, and the federation, to fight against the black market, where precious sesames sell for up to four times more expensive, has decided to limit the sale to two tickets per person.