Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has given reasons for the Reds’ fans to be optimistic ahead of the highly-anticipated clash with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Al Ahly were drawn to face Sundowns in the quarterfinal for the third consecutive time, having met them in the same stage of the tournament in the past two editions, with each winning one of the two.
CAF CL preview: How Pitso Mosimane fares against Mamelodi Sundowns?
The first leg is set to take place on Saturday, May 15 at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, with the second leg scheduled to be played a week later in Pretoria.
Pitso Mosimane is also set for a return to his former club Sundowns, where he spent the majority of his coaching career between 2012 and 2020 and played a big role in the club’s rise to the pinnacle of African football in 2016.
Speaking ahead of the game, Pitso said: “We are facing a strong team that have many distinct individuals.
“But I believe in the capabilities of Al Ahly players, after we performed well in the Club World Cup against Bayern Munich and Palmeiras, and against Zamalek in our previous confrontations. This makes me optimistic.
“We always play with spirit and determination, and therefore we are confident in producing a strong game. The players have experience in such games.
“Sundowns has opportunities to compete in this tournament and in the league over there in South Africa.
“I know the capabilities of their players, and we are ready and our goal is to achieve a good result before traveling for the rematch.
“Football has many variables. Qualifying as the leader of the group or as runner-up does not give indications of what will happen next,” Mosimane added.
