Moroccan defender Romain Saiss has set ambitious targets for the upcoming TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
The Atlas Lions, arriving ahead of schedule in Abidjan on January 7, have their sights on a triumphant campaign in Group F, which includes DR Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania.
Fresh from a historic semi-final finish at the FIFA World Cup, Morocco aims for a second TotalEnergies CAF AFCON title since their last victory in 1976.
Speaking exclusively to CAFOnline from San Pedro, Saiss, who plays in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Shabab, emphasized the team’s understanding of the expectations, expressing readiness to make their nation proud.
“We have set high goals for ourselves. We want to have a big AFCON. We know that everyone is waiting for us now after our 2022 World Cup, and we have a big responsibility of doing well. So we want to have a great competition for Morocco and make all the people who follow us proud,” said the defender.
Anticipating the tournament’s start, Saiss highlighted the early arrival to acclimate to the weather and the team’s meticulous preparations.
“A successful AFCON for Morocco means going as far as possible, and that means going to the end of the tournament. When we start a tournament, it is to go as far as possible, and the furthest possible is the final. We will concentrate on the group matches, get through the groups, and then we will take it game by game once this first objective is achieved. The goal is to stay in Cote d’Ivoire for a long time,” he concluded.
The Atlas Lions kick off their campaign on January 17 against Tanzania, followed by matches against DR Congo and Zambia on January 21 and 24, respectively.
