Khaberni - The Catalan newspapers, with "Sport" at the forefront, have opened fire on Real Madrid's star, Brahim Diaz, holding him directly responsible for the Moroccan national team's loss of the African Nations Championship title against Senegal.
The Catalan media described Diaz's missed penalty in the final minutes with a "Panenka" style as an "unforgivable mistake" and as the mercy shot that ended the dreams of the "Atlas Lions".
"Recklessness" at a crucial time
"Sport" reported in its review that Diaz chose to show off at the most critical moment of the match, where his cool penalty kick was met by the alertness of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, noting that this behavior triggered a widespread wave of anger among the Moroccan fans who were waiting for a decisive moment from the “Royal star”.
The newspaper clarified that Diaz's "recklessness" gave Senegal the chance to go into extra time and snatch the title.
Tensions behind the scenes
The newspaper did not stop at technical criticism but delved into the dressing room's backstage, confirming that Diaz engaged in a bitter crying session in front of his teammates, but that did not prevent the simmering anger among officials of the Moroccan football federation.
"Sport" indicated that the player's star status in Madrid did not alleviate the collective frustration, as Diaz became the "eye of the storm" amid accusations of not being able to handle the pressure at major events.
The Rkakra and attempts at calming
The Catalan newspaper relayed statements by the coach of the "Atlas Lions," Walid Rkakra, who tried to explain what happened, considering that the long stoppage of the game affected the player's focus, but he acknowledged the difficulty in justifying the way of shooting.
Harsh public attack
The newspaper concluded its report by mentioning that Brahim Diaz's "Instagram" account was attacked by thousands of frustrated fans who blamed him for the loss of the continental dream, amid questions from the Moroccan press about his ability to decide in major historic moments.
