Ludovic Batelli’s position as Morocco Under-20 manager is set to be reviewed next week, despite the team securing qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations U20.
The Lionceaux de l’Atlas claimed one of the two qualifying places available from the UNAF tournament, meeting their primary objective. However, their performances are understood to have raised concerns within the Moroccan football authorities.
The issue will be discussed when Batelli meets the Moroccan National Technical Directorate (DTN) next week to assess the team’s campaign, according to information from the youssefamz13 account.
Qualification has provided a clear positive for the French coach, particularly after Morocco recorded an important 2-0 victory over Egypt. That result played a key role in securing their place at the next continental tournament.
However, Morocco’s overall display during the competition was viewed as mixed. The team surrendered top spot in the tournament to Egypt after ending their campaign with a surprise 3-2 defeat by Libya.
The result was particularly disappointing because Morocco had taken the lead in the match before eventually losing. It has left the technical staff wanting to examine both the team’s collective performances and the problems encountered during the tournament.
Changes could therefore be considered before the next stage of preparation, although Batelli’s departure has not been decided.
The outcome of next week’s meeting is expected to depend partly on the report Batelli submits about the training camp and the conclusions drawn by the DTN after reviewing it.
Batelli will be able to point to the central achievement of the campaign: Morocco qualified for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations U20. The victory against Egypt was another significant argument in favour of continuity.
At the same time, the defeat by Libya on the final matchday has complicated the assessment of his work and may prompt the Moroccan Football Federation to consider whether changes are needed to the technical staff.
The federation must now decide whether to retain Batelli as preparations for the finals continue or adopt a different approach to the team’s leadership.
No official decision has yet been announced about Ludovic Batelli’s future.