Man United’s Complaint to FIFA Falls on Deaf Ears After Morocco Stands Firm on Noussair Mazraoui

Manchester United lodged a formal complaint with FIFA after the Moroccan football federation blocked defender Noussair Mazraoui from participating in the club's chaotic 4-4 draw against Bournemouth.

The club argued that Mazraoui should have been available for the Premier League fixture, but their appeal was ultimately rejected, leaving them without a key player for the crucial match.

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The conflict arose from FIFA's regulations regarding player release for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The rules mandate that clubs must release selected players seven days before their country's first match. For this tournament, the release period officially began on December 15—the same day United's match against Bournemouth was played.

United's frustration stemmed from the fact that the game was originally scheduled for a Saturday, which would have allowed Mazraoui to play. However, the fixture was moved to Monday evening for television broadcast purposes, pushing it into the mandatory release window. According to ESPN, United felt they were unfairly punished by a scheduling change that was entirely out of their hands.

Despite the club's protests, the Moroccan federation stood firm, insisting the player report for international duty. United escalated the matter to FIFA, hoping for a flexible interpretation of the rules, but the world governing body sided with Morocco, upholding the clear start date of the release period.

While there was internal frustration at the club that Morocco prioritised a training camp over a significant Premier League game, sources confirmed there were no issues with Mazraoui himself. The full-back remained professional, training with the squad all week before departing for his national team on Sunday evening.

The absence of Mazraoui compounded an already severe defensive crisis for manager Ruben Amorim, with Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire also sidelined. The situation forced United to field the inexperienced duo of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven against a relentless Bournemouth attack.

The result was one of the most frantic games of the season. Manchester United took the lead three separate times but were repeatedly pegged back, ultimately conceding a late equalizer to share the points in a 4-4 thriller.

In a stark contrast, United successfully negotiated with the Cameroonian and Ivorian federations, securing permission for Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo to play against Bournemouth before they joined their respective AFCON squads.