Tarik Skitioui, Morocco's head coach, expressed his happiness over the return of Abderrazak Hamdallah, who is set to feature after serving a two-match suspension. The forward was sent off in the match against Oman in the group stage. "I'm happy that Hamdallah is back," Skitioui stated. "The red card he received was harsh. He can play in the starting lineup or as a substitute, as he is a strong addition to the team's attack." Regarding the match against the UAE, the coach said: "We will try to play intelligently. The match is important as it qualifies us for the final, and winning it will please our fans who love the national team, and this always gives us motivation." On the strength of the UAE, Skitioui commented: "The UAE team has fast players with distinctive skills, especially in the attacking line."
