The Congolese player’s provocations throughout the game caused tensions to rise between Morocco and DR Congo.
Morocco’s top goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, has addressed the intense altercation between Morocco’s coach Walid Regragui and DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba during the closing moments of the AFCON match between the Atlas Lions and the Congolese national team.
The incident occurred on January 21, during the second group stage match for both teams at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
The news outlet Africa Foot United quoted Bounou as saying, “Youssef En-Nesyri told me that Mbemba has been hurling insults towards Regragui throughout the match.'”
In his remarks to the news outlet, the Atlas Lions’ goalkeeper mentioned that the Congolese captain purportedly urged his teammates to cause harm to Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who coincidentally plays alongside Mbemba at the French football club Olympique de Marseille.
“Chancel Mbemba was quite provocative and disrespectful during the game”, Bounou said.
“At the final whistle, everything cascaded to the edge of the pitch and into the locker rooms” he added.
Following the highly-publicized post-match altercation with the Atlas Lions coach, Mbemba informed journalists that Regragui had directed racist slurs at him. However, the Moroccan coach vehemently refuted making any racist remarks.
Amid conflicting accounts of the incident, it underscored the palpable tensions during the CAN and illuminated the internal conflicts that can emerge within national teams. Mbemba’s conduct notably raised concerns regarding fair play and sporting ethics in African competitions at the highest level.
In the aftermath, the African Football Federation (CAF) imposed a four-game suspension on Walid Regragui. Nevertheless, the Moroccan Royal Football Federation (FRMF) successfully appealed the decision, leading to the CAF disciplinary committee overturning the ban.
