
Gordon Strachan signed the Moroccan midfielder from Raja Casablanca in August 2001 as the Sky Blues prepared for life outside the Premiership. ‘Saf’s’ debut was delayed because of work permit issues and he made his debut as a substitute in what was Strachan’s last game in charge. A week later he was the starting choice as the ball-winning midfielder in Roland Nilsson’s first team. It would be 11 games before Safri tasted league defeat in a City shirt but there was early evidence of his disciplinary problems with a red card at Gillingham (the first of three in his time at City). His only City goal came in that early run when his stunning free kick from the edge of the box breached the Sheffield Wednesday wall. A consistent player who rarely wasted a ball Safri was a key member of the City team. The following season he was the perfect foil for Gary McAllister but his absence through injury from Christmas was a major factor in the team’s slump from the play-off places to a relegation dogfight. In 2003-04 he was as consistent as ever but rarely got up the field to have a crack at goal. With City’s financial problems worsening Peter Reid sold him to Norwich for £500,000 in 2004. The Canaries had been promoted and he got a taste of Premiership football for one season. Between 2004 and 2007 he played 83 games for the Canaries before joining Southampton. Youssef has won 79 caps for Morocco.
Free kick goals (1)
2001-02
27 October 2001 v Sheffield Wednesday H
Red Cards (3)
2001-02
29 September 2001 v Gillingham A, two bookings
2002-03
24 August 2002 v Crystal Palace H, two bookings
2003-04
16 August 2003 v Walsall H, two bookings


















































































































































































































Morocco, 24 caps, 3 goals
Selected for the 2002 (#15) and 2004 African Nations Cup squad (#15)
2001-02
5 September 2001 Italy v Morocco, Piacenza, friendly, 1-0, booked, replaced
14 November 2001 Morocco v Zambia, Rabat, friendly, 1-0
12 December 2001 Mali v Morocco, Settat, friendly, 1-1
13 January 2002 Morocco v Guinea, Rabat, friendly, 2-1, replaced
16 January 2002 Gambia v Morocco, Bakau, friendly, 0-2
21 January 2002 Morocco v Ghana, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 0-0
26 January 2002 Morocco v Burkina Faso, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 2-1, replaced
30 January 2002 Morocco v South Africa, Segou, 2002 African Nations Cup Group B, 1-3, booked
2001-02
21 August 2002 Luxembourg v Morocco, Luxembourg City, friendly, 0-2, replaced
7 September 2002 Gabon v Morocco, Libreville, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 0-1
13 October 2002 Morocco v Equatorial Guinea, Rabat, 2004 African Nations Cup Qualification, 5-0, goal
20 November 2002 Morocco v Mali, Rabat, friendly, 1-3
2002-03
10 September 2003 Morocco v Trinidad & Tobago, Marrakesh, friendly, 2-0
11 October 2003 Tunisia v Morocco, Tunis, friendly, 0-0
15 November 2003 Burkina Faso v Morocco, Meknes, friendly, 1-0, replaced
19 November 2003 Morocco v Mali, Casablanca, friendly, 0-1, replaced
27 January 2004 Morocco v Nigeria, Monastir, 2004 African Nations Cup Group D, 1-0
31 January 2004 Morocco v Benin, Sfax, 2004 African Nations Cup Group D, 4-0
4 February 2004 Morocco v South Africa, Sousse, 2004 African Nations Cup Group D, 1-1, goal (pen)
8 February 2004 Morocco v Algeria, Sfax, 2004 African Nations Cup Quarter Final, 3-1* aet, booked
11 February 2004 Morocco v Mali, Sousse, 2004 African Nations Cup Semi Final, 4-0
14 February 2004 Morocco v Tunisia, Rades, 2004 African Nations Cup Final, 1-2, replaced
28 May 2004 Mali v Morocco, Bamako, friendly, 0-0, replaced
5 June 2004 Malawi v Morocco, Blantyre, 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group 5, 1-1, goal, replaced
Other caps for various clubs including Raja, Norwich City and Southampton (total 79 caps, 9 goals)
Selected for the 2000 Sydney Olympic squad, before joining City
Selected for the 2006 and 2008 African Nations Cups squads after leaving City