Bilal El Khannouss heads to Africa Cup of Nations

Host nation Morocco kick off the 35^th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday 21 December when they take on Comoros in Rabat in the opening fixture.

“A lot of people are hoping we win the title,” said Bilal El Khannouss. “We’ve got a strong team with a lot of good players. If we can show our quality then anything is possible. We’ve set high aims for ourselves, but at the same time we shouldn’t put ourselves under too much pressure. We just need to concentrate on our own performances and stay focused.” The 21-year-old travelled to his homeland following VfB’s game in Bremen on Sunday.

VfB head coach Sebastian Hoeneß had warm words for the midfielder upon his departure: “Bilal gave us a great leaving present. We wish him all the best, even if that might mean he won’t be with us for an extended period of time. He’s got a tournament on home turf with Morocco and that’s always something special. We hope he comes back healthy.”