Morocco boss Pim Verbeek has announced his 18-man squad for the 2012 London Olympics, leaving out several high-profile players out of the side.

The Dutch coach opted against calling QPR star Adel Taarabt even though the player was eligible as an under-23 player.

On the other hand, Montpellier midfielder Younes Belhanda was an expected omission, seeing that he had asked not to be called in order to fully recover from an ankle problem.

Nonetheless, Pim Verbeek is aware that the highly rated midfielder will be sorely missed.

“He’s a player we’ll really miss, he’s a very talented player – I think half of Europe is trying to get him,” the coach told BBC Sport.

“He got injured in the national team – he has played in about the last 20 international games and was injured against Gambia in June.

“He is still recovering from the injury and only had a 20 per cent chance of being able to play at the Olympics.”

Midfielder Houssine Kharja, who has just left Fiorentina, is one of just two over-age players in the squad, with Nordine Amrabat being the other player over the age of 23.

Morocco start their campaign against Honduras on 26 July, before facing Japan and Spain in the remaining Group D games. The Atlas Lions are 2.25 (5/4) with BetVictor to make it to the quarter-finals.

Morocco Olympic squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed Amsif (FC Augsburg, Germany), Yassine Bounou (Atletico Madrid, Spain).

Defenders: Mohamed Aberhoune (MA Tetouan), Zakarya Bergdich (Racing Lens, France), Abdelhamid El Kaoutari (Montpellier, France), Zouhair Feddal (Espanyol, Spain), Yacine Jebbour (Stade Rennes, France), Abdelatif Noussair (FUS Rabat).

Midfielders: Abdelaziz Barrada (Getafe, Spain), Omar El Kaddouri (Brescia, Italy), Driss Fettouhi (Istres, France), Rayane Frikech (Angers, France), Houcine Kharja (Fiorentina, Italy), Imad Najah (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands).

Forwards: Nordine Amrabat (Kayerispor, Turkey), Soufiane Bidaoui (Lierse, Belgium), Soufian El Hassnaoui (De Graafschap, Netherlands), Zakarya Labyad (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal).