Benatia Questions El Aynaoui's Playing Time at Roma

Mehdi Benatia has voiced his concerns regarding the limited playing time afforded to Neil El Aynaoui at AS Roma. In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Benatia, now sporting director at Olympique Marseille, revealed he attempted to sign El Aynaoui for Marseille before Roma secured his services.

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Benatia praised the Moroccan midfielder, stating, "He’s very strong because he combines quality and quantity." He expressed bewilderment over El Aynaoui's reduced playing time at Roma compared to his expectations, noting, "I didn’t understand why he played less at Roma than I would have expected. I had tried to sign him for my Marseille, but he cost too much."

Despite this, El Aynaoui has made a notable impact this season, appearing in 34 matches and contributing two goals and two assists. Reflecting on a separate topic, Benatia addressed Italy's failure to qualify for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, saying, "It’s a huge loss, Italy is in my heart, it gave me everything. Unfortunately, the reality is that the best Italian attackers are inferior to the reserves in France’s attacking department. I really hope Italy can turn things around quickly." This statement underscores the introspection within Italian football as they prepare to miss another major tournament.

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