CAF Premier competitions Champions League and Confederation Cup draws conducted with interesting pairings on the cards

The CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup draws were conducted on Monday with interesting pairings on the cards.

The Tunisian derby between Esperance and Etoile du Sahel is arguably the pick of the Caf Champions League quarter-finals.

Both former African champions, the Tunisians will collide in quarter-final two in a bid to reclaim Africa’s premier club football title.

Esperance will begin the quarter-finals first leg as the home side after finishing the group stages as runners-up, while Etoile will host the return fixture.

The Champions League will commence on 14 September while the second legs would be played seven days later.

The battle between reigning champions Wydad Casablanca and Algerian side ES Setif in quarter-final three is another high-profile pairing expected to light up this phase of the tournament.

Setif will start at home before visiting Wydad Casablanca.

Five-time champions TP Mazembe will have to worry about Primeiro Agosto in quarter-final one. The winner of this match-up meets the winner between Esperance and Etoile in the semifinals.

In quarter-final four, Horoya will have to prove that reaching the quarter-finals was not a fluke after they were paired with Al Ahly.

The Guineans pulled one of the biggest upsets so far this season after they denied 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns a last eight berth on the final day of the group stages with a draw in Pretoria.

Record African champions Al Alhy will be keen to atone for last season where they lost to Wydad Casablanca in the final.

There is a possibility that Al Ahly could clash with Wydad in the semifinals since the winner of quarter-final four will meet the victor of quarter-final three.

In the Confederation Cup, it will be a North African affair in quarter-final three when Egyptian side Al Masry facing Algerian giants USM Alger.

Al Masry will be at home for the first leg before visiting USM Alger.

Interestingly, Al Masry go into the quarter-finals as the only unbeaten team from the group stages although they finished as runners-up.

Another big drawcard in the Confederation Cup last eight is the AS Vita and RSB Berkane game in the quarter-final four clash.

With Congolese giants AS Vita finishing their group campaign as runner-up, they will begin at home before travelling to Morocco for the second leg.

Quarter-final three and four winners will meet in semifinal two.

Group A leaders Raja Casablanca are tipped as favourites to prevail over CARA Brazzaville in the quarter-final two pairing.

Raja Casablanca will be the away side in the first leg, before hosting CARA Brazzaville in the return fixture.

The winner between these sides will meet the winner between surprise packages Rayon Sports and Enyimba in semifinal one.

The first leg of the quarter-finals would be played on September 16, while the return fixtures are scheduled for September 23.

CAF Champions League Quarter Finals

QF1 – 1° de Agosto vs. TP Mazembe