Ziyech omitted from Morocco squad for AFCON

Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech has been left out of the Morocco squad set to compete at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon next month.

The 28-year-old last featured for the Atlas Lions in a friendly against Burkina Faso in July and was not called up for any of their six 2022 World Cup qualifiers this year.

A long-standing dispute with Morocco head coach Vahid Halilhodozic means that Ziyech will miss the 33rd edition of Africa’s biennial tournament, which runs from January 9 to February 6.

The North Africans will contest Group C alongside Ghana, Gabon and the Comoros, with their opening match against the Black Stars on January 10.

Halilhodozic has included just one homegrown player in his squad, in Raja Casablanca goalkeeper Anas Zniti. The other 24 squad members all ply their trade in Europe.

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Spain), Monir El Kajoui, (Hatayspor, Turkey), Anas Zniti (Raja Casablanca, Morocco).

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Sofiane Alakouch (Metz, France), Souffian El Karouani (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Adam Masina (Watford, England), Sofian Chakla (OH Leuven, Belgium), Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Romain Saiss (Wolves, England), Nayef Aguerd (Rennes, France).

Midfielders: Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, Italy), Faycal Fajr (Sivaspor, Turkey), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers, France), Ilias Chair (QPR, England), Imran Louza (Watford, England), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege, Belgium).

Forwards: Munir El Haddadi (Sevilla, Spain), Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Abdessamad Ezzalzouli (Barcelona, Spain), Sofiane Boufal (Angers, France), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla, Spain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Hatayspor, Turkey).