Raja Casablanca team received a painful blow ahead of the important Casablanca “derby” after the Appeals Committee of the Professional League upheld the penalty to hold the anticipated match without spectators, rejecting Raja’s request to reduce the sanction.
This decision, which means holding the top match against Wydad Casablanca behind closed doors, caused widespread dissatisfaction among Raja circles, due to its significant moral and financial impact on the club.
The news was harsh not only because of the immense moral value that the presence of fans adds to derby matches, but also because of the heavy financial repercussions that will result from holding one of the biggest matches of the season in empty stands.
The club management had heavily relied on the revenue from this match to boost the treasury, especially in light of the financial crisis the team has been experiencing in recent months.
Thus, the “ban” decision has disrupted all calculations, imposing a difficult reality on the club’s administration before facing a pivotal match in the race for the national championship, placing the team before a new economic and administrative challenge.
The situation is more complicated given the sensitive timing of confirming the sanction; Raja is living a positive phase in terms of results after the important victory against Maghreb de Fès and temporarily taking the lead in the championship.
The team was counting on strong fan support to give the players an additional moral boost in a match that does not accept any mistakes.
On the other hand, the derby will lose a large part of its usual atmosphere, being one of the most exciting matches in the African continent, where fans have always been the prominent factor in creating the enthusiastic atmosphere inside the Mohamed V Stadium through “tifos” and spontaneous interaction in the stands, scenes that will undoubtedly be missing.
