Badr Benoun apologises to Raja supporters

Badr Benoun, Raja’s captain, apologised to the club’s supporters after his team returned to winning ways in the league. He asked them to continue backing the players during a period that, he said, had brought heavy pressure since the start of the season. His appeal also comes as the club seeks to ease tensions within the squad.

Benoun said that, after the defeat to RS Berkane, Raja officials had called a meeting with the players. At that gathering, the management acknowledged mistakes and problems that had contributed to tension in the team. The captain stressed that these difficulties had to be addressed rather than leaving the players to bear responsibility alone. That initiative gives added weight to his apology: his message to supporters goes hand in hand with a call to tackle the issues affecting the group.

Raja had just beaten AS FAR 2-1 in the sixth round of the Moroccan first division. It was the club’s second league victory of the season. Benoun nevertheless stressed that one win was not enough to meet supporters’ expectations. “These three points are only a first step,” he said, pointing to the fighting spirit and determination shown by the players during the match.

The captain also described psychological pressure that had become difficult for some members of the squad. In his account, some players had reached a point where going onto the pitch and playing matches had become challenging. He therefore asked supporters to be understanding and to keep backing the team through this period. His appeal was not simply about seeking a positive response after a win; it was also about sustaining support around a group facing a tense atmosphere.

Major changes to the squad had also complicated the work of building cohesion, Benoun explained. Some new arrivals made their first appearance for the team in a stadium with around 60,000 supporters. For players unused to a crowd of that size, the atmosphere presented a significant challenge and could make settling into the group more difficult.

In closing, the captain said the players understood the value of Raja’s supporters and the scale of their expectations. He urged them to stay behind the team, help it through this period and give it the backing to return to competition strongly. After the club’s second league win of the season, his message combined gratitude to supporters with a request for patience and a need to rebuild cohesion.