Morocco-Algeria’s derby stadium outbursts conflict between Gerets and Al Fassi

Royal Moroccan Football Federation has not decided yet where to host the Algerian national squad next 5 June, in the second leg derby against Morocco, for the Group D’s fourth day qualifiers to the African Nations Cup (CAN 2012).

• Moroccan press reported on Monday that some want to hold the game in the newly constructed stadium of Marrakech, while some others would like to hold it in Casa Blanca’s Mohamed V Stadium.
• In fact, Essabah newspaper mentioned that football federation’s president Ali Al-Fassi and his members reject to hold the game in Casa Blanca for “security reasons”, and prefer to organize it in Marrakech Stadium.
• However, Belgian coach of the Atlas Lions squad, Eric Gerets and Minister of Sports, Mouncef Belkhiat, want to hold the game in Casa Blanca’s stadium; and the argument they use is that the stadium 70 000 supporters’ capacity would likely to make pressure on the Algerian players.
• Moreover, Gerets would have threatened to resign in case the game is not scheduled in Casa Blanca, El Massa Erriadi quoted well informed sources as saying.
• To recall, Desert Foxes downed Atlas Lions by 1-0 in the first leg match in Annaba, while the next Group D’s round is scheduled on 4 and 5 June.