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Bayern Munich and Moroccan Players: A story of untapped potential

As Ismael Saibari prepares to pull on the famous red shirt, he inherits a complicated legacy of Moroccan players at Bayern Munich.
Morocco and PSV Eindhoven forward Ismael Saibari is set to join Bayern Munich.
Morocco and PSV Eindhoven forward Ismael Saibari is set to join Bayern Munich. | Dan Mullan/GettyImages
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Noussair Mazraoui

Similar to Saibari, Noussair Mazraoui moved to Bayern as an Eredivisie champion from Ajax Amsterdam on a free transfer. This was seen as a steal at the time, as the Moroccan fullback offers incredible versatility and technicality in the half-spaces.

Mazraoui's time at Bayern, however, was a roller coaster. He suffered a serious heart inflammation following the 2022 World Cup that sidelined him for months. In the 2023/24 season, he tore his muscle bundle, leaving him out of the squad for over a dozen games.

Although he still offered a lot of positivity on the field, his injury history was worrying for Bayern Munich. In the summer of 2024, Bayern moved on from Mazraoui, shipping him to Manchester United alongside Matthijs De Ligt in a bundle deal.

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