MU files a complaint to FIFA after losing points in the Premier League

The forced absence of Noussair Mazraoui and disputes over the national team gathering schedule caused Man Utd to lodge a complaint with FIFA after the contentious draw with Bournemouth.

Manchester United has officially submitted a complaint to FIFA, claiming they faced unfair personnel disadvantages before the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth in the Premier League. According to sources from England, the Old Trafford club believes the Moroccan Football Federation’s handling of Noussair Mazraoui’s case directly impacted their squad preparation.

The match between Manchester United and Bournemouth was highly dramatic with eight goals scored, exposing defensive weaknesses on both sides. For Man Utd, coach Ruben Amorim went into the game severely depleted in defense without Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui. While the first two absences were due to injuries, Mazraoui’s absence stemmed from a more complex off-field issue.

Earlier this month, FIFA announced an extension of the deadline for players to join their national teams for the Africa Cup of Nations to December 15, coinciding exactly with Man Utd’s home game against Bournemouth.

Based on this timeline, Man Utd negotiated with the relevant federations. As a result, Cameroon and Ivory Coast agreed to allow Bryan Mbeumo and Amad to continue playing for their club before departing.

However, the Moroccan Football Federation rejected a similar request for Mazraoui. Although the defender trained with Man Utd’s first team during preparations and had not played in Morocco’s opening AFCON match, the North African team demanded his early call-up for training.

According to the BBC, MU believes Morocco prioritized their national team’s schedule over an important Premier League match, which they feel was an “unfair punishment.”

This dissatisfaction prompted Man Utd to escalate the matter to FIFA. The Independent reports the club hopes the global football governing body will mediate and provide clear guidelines to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Additionally, Man Utd expressed frustration that their match against Bournemouth was moved to Monday, while other teams playing over the weekend still had their African players available.

Before the December 15 deadline, FIFA urged all parties to “engage in good-faith bilateral discussions” and stated that if disputes persist, they will “apply guidelines appropriate to the specific circumstances,” considering the schedule, competition nature, and player involvement.

On a personal level, Mazraoui maintained professionalism, training diligently with Man Utd and showing respect throughout the dispute.