Manuel Pellegrini, the coach of Real Betis, has chosen not to include Moroccan international Abdelhamid Zalsouli in the starting lineup for the recent match against Osasuna, which Betis won 2-1 in La Liga's 10th round. Pellegrini decided to keep Zalsouli on the bench, allowing him to play only a few minutes in the second half to avoid injury risks, considering his heavy playtime earlier in the season and recent contributions to the national team.
Pellegrini stated prior to the match, "I hope we can play without Zalsouli, as he has played a lot and participated in two games with his national team. The same happened with Lo Celso, who we rested but ended up getting injured while playing for his country. Both players had limited pre-season matches, and I hope this does not happen with Zalsouli."
Reports suggest that Zalsouli is attracting interest for a potential loan move to another La Liga club during the upcoming winter transfer window; however, Pellegrini is hesitant to let him go, considering him vital to the team's structure, particularly as his performance has been improving this season.
This season, Zalsouli has featured in 13 matches, scoring three goals and providing one assist, significantly contributing to his team's success. He is under contract with Real Betis until the summer of 2028, after previously playing for Barcelona and Osasuna.
Additionally, Zalsouli has made 19 appearances for the Moroccan national team, scoring two goals, and played seven matches for the Olympic team, winning the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations and securing a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
