‘We are delighted to welcome them and show them our facilities. We share common views on training and football philosophy,’ said Philippe Barraud, Director of Youth Recruitment, who recalls his last visit to Rabah during a tournament to watch Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal. ‘The quality of their training is well established, and the Mohammed VI Academy is a well-known talent scouting ground. Today's meeting allows us to maintain our already excellent relations.’
During the day, the Mohammed VI Academy players took on a Rouge et Noir team made up of U17 and U18 players, with the visitors winning 5-3. ‘We had a lot of fun, there were goals and some great play. It was a very interesting exchange of football cultures, a wonderful experience,’ said head coach Mimoun Mokhtari. ‘Stade Rennais F.C. remains a benchmark in terms of training, so it's only natural to have exchanges with our counterparts in Rennes. We have a very good relationship. We regularly organise outings like this so that our young players can discover other cultures and develop their experience more quickly.’
After the 90 minutes, the exchanges continued nearby at Roazhon Park during a reception, which was also attended by representatives from the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco in Rennes. The visitors toured the SRFC changing rooms, where they met Nayef Aguerd, and the press conference room. The Mohammed VI Academy students took lots of photos, no doubt dreaming of one day following in the footsteps of their illustrious elders.
