Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has revealed that he will wait until the morning of the hosts' Africa Cup of Nations opener against Comoros on Sunday to decide whether or not to select Africa's Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi for the clash.
The Paris Saint-Germain rightback hasn't featured for club or country since November 11's Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich, where he was forced off the pitch in tears after a collision with Luis Diaz left him with a severely sprained left ankle.
The 27-year-old has been working intensively to recover for the tournament opener, and while Regragui has revealed optimism about the defender's fitness, he stopped short of confirming Hakimi would participate at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday.
"[We've observed] the protocol in place since his injury, and it's been more than positive," Regragui told ESPN on Saturday. "Now we have a competition to manage. Before tomorrow, I have one more good night of sleep, and then: 'Does he play or not? Do we protect him for the challenges to come in the competition?' That will be my job tomorrow.
"For him, he's done more than his job," he continued. "The injury wasn't easy, but he took the difficult decisions for the country. He recovered, he worked, he sacrificed for four to five weeks like no one else would have done.
"He's an example for the other players. Tomorrow, you'll see if he plays or not. He could start...but also, he might not start."
Hakimi, who was voted CAF's African Footballer of the Year on November 20, is determined to play a major role in Morocco's AFCON title bid, whether or not he is able to feature from the off.
"I feel good," he began. "I am following the problem with the doctor, but you'll have to ask the coach [if I will play].
"My role [as captain] doesn't change much for me whether I'm playing or not," he added. "I'm one of the oldest, and both on and off the pitch, I try to make the effort, speak with all of the players, whether the elders, the younger [ones].
"We have a big responsibility, and we must show an example to the young [players], train hard, motivate them every day. We have the opportunity offer lives, to play at home, and we must make the most of this moment."
Morocco are one of African football's great underachievers, having failed to win the continental crown since their first triumph in 1976, but this talented collection of players, home advantage, and the recent experience of reaching the semifinal of the World Cup in 2022 has firmly established them as favourites for this year's competition.
"I wanted to be here with the group," Hakimi concluded. "I don't know if I'll play, but I feel ready, I've had a great programme, and now, the coach will decide.
"We've worked hard, we've made the effort, now we'll see, but I'm not thinking of individual things; I want to see Morocco win [the title] on January 18, I want to see Morocco win whether I play or not."
After Sunday's opener against Comoros, Morocco will then meet Mali on Boxing Day, before concluding their group-stage campaign with a match against Zambia on December 29.
If they were to advance to the knockouts as group winners, they would remain in the country's capital of Rabat until the final.