Rulani Mokwena braced for tough Group C challenge | OneFootball

Interview

Mokwena anticipates tough CAFCL battles

Photo: MCA @ X

MC Alger head coach Rulani Mokwena is braced for tough battles in Group C of the CAF Champions League ahead of their opener against Al-Hilal Omdurman in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday (15h00).

The Algerian champions have been pitted alongside Mamelodi Sundowns, and FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in addition to the Sudanese heavyweights.

With their curtain raiser looming, the South African mentor believes qualifying for the knockout stages won't be an easy task, citing their opponents' pedigree in their respective domestic leagues.

“We are quietly confident about our chances and also excited to be in the group stages. For the first time the club is in the group stages back-to-back and so we are looking forward to another good run in the Champions League and we are very excited,” said Mokwena.

"Group stages of the Champions League, very difficult. Just last night I was studying all the other different groups, I think we are one of the two groups that have three league champions in it and that already is difficult.

"Only Lupopo were runners-up in their domestic league but the rest of the three teams are league champions, that tells you the level of the teams, the difficulty that you will face with the games and we have to respect that.

While he is wary of the opposition, the former Sundowns and Wydad Casablanca boss is upbeat about his team's chances as he is eager to guide MCA to the latter stages of the competition.

“But also we are very comfortable and extremely confident in our profile as a club, in our ambition as a staff, as a group of players and we understand the club that we represent, so we want to do better than we did last season and of course it starts with qualifying from the group,” he added.

"And that means you have to start match by match and this is a very important match for us. Three teams in this group were in the quarterfinals and maybe even beyond of the Champions League last season and only two can make it this season and we want to be one of the two.

MCA reached the quarterfinals of Africa's premier club competition last season, where they were knocked out by Orlando Pirates.