Etoile Sportive du Sahel will host Al Ahly of Cairo in one of the opening fixtures of the African Champions League, a match that promises intensity and high stakes. Al Ahly, Africa’s most decorated club in the competition, have not won the trophy since 2013, and the team will need to guard against overconfidence, which has cost them in recent seasons. Under the guidance of René Weiler, the Egyptian side remains strong and enters the tournament as one of the favorites. This Friday, the Red Devils from the banks of the Nile begin their continental campaign in Radès against the experienced Maghreb club.
Ahead of the encounter, Al Ahly’s sporting director, Sayed Abdelhafidh, acknowledged the challenge posed by Etoile du Sahel. “We respect Étoile du Sahel, which has extensive experience in African competitions. Friday’s match will be very difficult between two clubs ranked at level 1 (Al Ahly) and level 2 (Étoile) of Group B. But we are determined to achieve a positive result to make a good start to this group stage,” he said, highlighting the competitive nature of the Maghreb derby.
Group B also features Al Hilal of Sudan and Platinum of Zimbabwe, who will face off on Friday at the Omdurman Stadium. With each team aiming to secure early points, the opening round of matches is set to shape the dynamics of the group and test the ambitions of all four clubs in Africa’s premier club competition
