Burundian refereeing team appointed for Zamalek’s CAF Champions League tie

Zamalek’s CAF Champions League meeting with Djibouti side AS Port will be officiated by a Burundian refereeing team, with Bertrand Manirakiza appointed as referee for the second leg of the preliminary round.

The match is scheduled to take place at Cairo International Stadium on 12 September, with the Egyptian club confirming that it had received official notification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regarding the appointments.

Manirakiza will be assisted by compatriots Renovat Bizomuremyi and Jean Bertrand Irankunda. Bizomuremyi has been named the first assistant referee, while Irankunda will serve as the second assistant.

Rodrigue Bigirimana has been selected as the fourth official.

CAF has also appointed Libyan Jamal Salem Embaya as the match commissioner.

The fixture will mark Zamalek’s return to the CAF Champions League after an absence. The Egyptian club has agreed with AS Port to stage both legs of the tie in Cairo.

The first leg will be played at Cairo International Stadium on Friday, 4 September, before the teams meet again at the same venue eight days later.

Zamalek reached the final of last season’s CAF Confederation Cup but were beaten in a penalty shootout, missing out on the title. Their participation in this season’s CAF Champions League represents a return to Africa’s premier club competition, with their campaign beginning against the Djibouti side.

The two-match preliminary-round tie will therefore be decided entirely in Cairo, after the clubs reached an agreement to play both the first and second legs at the Egyptian stadium.