Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane will be hoping his side can retain the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League crown tonight against Kaizer Chiefs. The match takes place on Saturday 17 July, 2021 at the Complexe Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco with kick-off billed for 10:00 Pm EAT.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s CAF Champions League final, Mosimane says It is an opportunity for Al Ahly to win the 10th CAF Champions League title and make history.
“It’s also an opportunity for the players and coaching staff to write their own history. It’s an honor to play in a Champions League final,” Mosimane said at the Pre-match press conference.
“We have worked very hard to be here. It’s never easy but we think we can win. We respect our opponents but we have confidence in ourselves.
“We fear no one but it’s about respect and reality. Kaizer Chiefs is a good team in their own way, and this way helped them all the way to the final. They are strong on counter attacks and set pieces, and they have some intelligent players. If you want to win you have to respect your opponents.”
Mosimane is aware of the threat that tonight’s opponents posses but is confident his team will get the job done.
“The system that makes you win is always a good system. We will go the way that helped us to win the trophy last year and brought us to this final. I’m not worried of the way Kaizer Chiefs play, but I’m aware of it,” Mosimane adds.
“As a coach, I have always had pressure. No coach for Al Ahly can have rest and has his comfort zone. Coaches should enjoy the pressure and strive with it.”
And Al Ahly captain Mohamed Elshenawy heaped praise on Kaizer Chiefs saying it will not be an easy stroll for his team.
“It is going to be a very tough game. We would have liked to have our supporters behind us,” Elshenawy said.
“Kaizer Chiefs is a good and organized team. We are ready to face them and hope to have a good game.
“All Ahly players just think of winning. We follow each other in that legacy and we always play each game and every competition to win. In the FIFA Club World Cup last February, we told ourselves we want to be back here again.
He continues, “This final is very important and we have the ambition to win it once again. We want to make our supporters happy as we always do.”