Nabil Maaloul questions CAF draw plans after Chabab Belouizdad tie is postponed

Chabab Belouizdad manager Nabil Maaloul says he does not know how the CAF Confederation Cup group-stage draw can take place while his side’s qualifying tie against Mauritanian club Douanes remains unresolved.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport postponed the two matches after a complaint from Guinea’s Hafia Conakry, with the decision being issued on the eve of the first leg while Chabab Belouizdad were already in Mauritania.

“I do not know how the Confederation Cup draw will be held when the fate of one team has not yet been decided,” Maaloul told Modern channel. “Chabab Belouizdad are in the first pot and Douanes are in the third. Will there be two different draws?”

FilGoal.com reported that CAF had decided to place the winner of the tie in the first pot, regardless of which side progresses.

The first group-stage matches are scheduled for 27 November, leaving Maaloul concerned about when the postponed fixtures can be played.

“The first group-stage match is on 27 November, so when will the two games be played?” he said. “We are waiting for the decision first, and then there is an international break. When will we play before the group stage?”

Maaloul said staging the matches during the international window appeared to be the only option, although he believed that could disadvantage the clubs because their international players would be unavailable.

“I do not think there are any solutions other than playing the two matches during the international break,” he added. “But that would be unjust because the international players would not be able to take part.”

The first leg between Douanes and Chabab Belouizdad had been scheduled for 17 October, with the return match due to be played between 23 and 25 October. Both fixtures were then postponed following Hafia Conakry’s appeal against a CAF decision.

Hafia continue to challenge that ruling, arguing that Douanes’ failure to travel to Conakry on 11 September was caused by avoidable organisational shortcomings rather than force majeure.

Douanes did not arrive for the match at the appointed time, citing logistical problems. The fixture was subsequently played on a later date and ended in victory for the Mauritanian side, but Hafia appealed on the grounds that no circumstances beyond the club’s control had prevented its delegation from attending as scheduled.

Maaloul also revealed that he had briefly resigned as Chabab Belouizdad manager before withdrawing his decision after the board asked him to remain.

“I submitted my resignation from Chabab Belouizdad, but I changed my mind out of appreciation for the board after their request, especially given their efforts with the team this season,” he said.

He described the start of the campaign as difficult because of injuries and the suspension of two players for four matches at the end of last season, rather than because of results. Chabab Belouizdad are currently top of the Algerian league.

Maaloul said he had been particularly frustrated by refereeing errors in the match against USM Alger, which he felt could have extended their lead at the top to six points.

He expects a demanding Confederation Cup, naming Al Ahly, Chabab Belouizdad, USM Alger, CS Sfaxien, Al Ahli Tripoli and AS FAR among the strong teams involved.

The absence of major clubs including Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad and Raja from the CAF Champions League did not make that competition weaker, he said, because “the Champions League remains the Champions League”.