Sofyan Amrabat became an iconic part of Morocco’s historic World Cup run in Qatar but recent performances have seen questions asked about the Fiorentina midfielder.
The 26-year-old played a leading role for the Atlas Lions at the World Cup, playing every available minute for the club as they pulled off a historic run to a fourth-place finish. His work in Qatar saw Amrabat attract the attention of top clubs around Europe and he seemed destined for a high-profile move.
Despite late interest from Barcelona in January, Amrabat failed to secure a move away from Fiorentina, leaving him at the disposal of Vincenzo Italiano. Unfortunately for the Florentines, the Moroccan has since seen his form drop off dramatically, culminating in his disastrous performance in the 1-1 draw with Empoli.
Amrabat was the unfortunate protagonist at the centre of Empoli’s goal in Florence and failed to show much of note before being taken off in the 70th minute, earning criticism from the Italian press.
La Gazzetta dello Sport had harsh words for the Moroccan midfielder, saying: “He touched the ball too much to be a regista and often lost it, like in the build-up to the goal.”
Corriere dello Sport couldn’t disagree with this assessment, commenting: “The Empoli goal weighed on his conscience. The rest of his game management was sloppy.”
Tuttosport highlighted how his mistake for Empoli’s goal wasn’t a one-off issue, noting: “He lost a poisonous ball that led to Empoli’s 1-0. A serious mistake that was not the only one of the match.”
Amrabat’s ratings in the Italian newspapers
Gazzetta dello Sport: 4
Corriere dello Sport: 5
Tuttosport: 5