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Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has described Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane as a genius who is lucky and will plot a 2-0 victory over the Soweto giants on Saturday.

Chiefs and Al Ahly clash in the Caf Champions League final at Stade Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.

Mosimane is a two-time Champions League winner, having guided Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly to continental glory.

“Chiefs are playing against a mastermind in Pitso, a genius. If he is tested, he has a way of responding,” said Khanye on iDiski TV.

“He is lucky, naturally he is chosen. He arrived at Al Ahly with three Champions League games remaining and he won it. One would ask how he did it. He was faced with luck. Kaizer Chiefs will be playing against a person who is chosen. Pitso’s team is compact and they play with high intensity from the first whistle. I see Al Ahly winning 2-0. 

“Pitso knows Chiefs and he is a fortunate guy, he is lucky. Miracles have happened to Pitso. There is too much quality in his team and most players are experienced.”

For Mosimane, it will be a resumption of his rivalry against Chiefs since he started coaching in the Premier Soccer League at SuperSport United.

He has also had some confrontations against Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter who will be coaching in the Champions League final for the first time.

Khanye feels Saturday’s battle will be a David versus Goliath affair.

‘It is going to be a tough game. Talent is not enough. Yes you need talent but you need big-hearted players more,” Khanye said.

“It’s a David and Goliath affair. I will say things as they are, Al Ahly have the upper hand. They play convincingly and it is not a mistake for them being where they are. For Kaizer Chiefs you try to understand how they got here because they were not convincing in some games especially when Wydad Casablanca brought a B team [in the group stage] and they also didn’t come with their coach.

“Kaizer Chiefs won that match. Chiefs also won away at Wydad and they didn’t play well. But their defence was better. Their team had no balance, the midfield was not functioning going forward and never created any chances. They waited for Wydad to make a mistake and Wydad did make a mistake.

“Chiefs sat back the whole game and had one shot on target against around 16 Wydad shots. So statistics do not lie although it is the results that count the most. This is a final and there is no first or second leg.”

Chiefs coach Baxter will be sitting on the bench on Saturday after finally being granted his work permit.

Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud has completed a €2 million move to AC Milan, both clubs have confirmed.

The 34-year-old will wear the No.9 shirt for the Rossoneri and is understood to have signed a two-year contract with the Serie A club, with Giroud having completed his medical on Friday.

The move signals the end of the forward's spell at Stamford Bridge, where he made 119 appearances in all competitions over a four-year period.

Why has Giroud left Chelsea?

The Frenchman was held in high regard by the club and their supporters although he struggled for game time during the 2020-21 campaign, with the decision ultimately made for him to leave.

The former Arsenal striker had actually seen his contract extended by a year to 2022, although Milan, who have been keen on signing him for a while now, have completed a deal for an initial €1 million, with a further €1m due next year.

In total, the World Cup winner made 119 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, scoring 39 goals. He won three trophies with his former club, including the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League.

Giroud's exit to Milan signals the end of his time in England, where he spent the last nine years of his career, having joined Arsenal from Montpellier back in 2012.

Giroud says goodbye to Chelsea fans

In a farewell message to Chelsea and their supporters posted on his official Twitter account, Giroud wrote: "To all the Blues, to my teammates, to all my coaches, to the whole club, a huge thank you for these special moments.

"I'm starting a new journey with a light and happy heart. Our victories in FA Cup, Europa League and Champions league have been magnificent. Love Oli G."

Where will Giroud fit in at AC Milan?

Giroud will add experience and quality to Milan's squad for the 2021-22 campaign, with Stefano Pioli's side already boasting the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Rafael Leao in attack.

He has also been handed the No.9 shirt by his new club, which has not always been a good omen for Milan strikers of the past.

Indeed, the likes of Mario Mandzukic, Krzysztof Piatek, Gonzalo Higuain, Andre Silva, Alessandro Matri, Fernando Torres, Luiz Adriano and Alexandre Pato have all struggled to hit top form wearing the same shirt number in the past.

Further reading

Stuart Baxter believes Al Ahly will be devastated if they do not beat his team Kaizer Chiefs in the Caf Champions League final in Casablanca, Morocco on Saturday night.

Amakhosi come into the match with the hope of securing their maiden continental title while the Red Devils are targeting their 10th crown. It is a match that has been anticipated by Chiefs supporters who are optimistic their team can defy the odds and end the season on a high.

The Britton concedes his charges come into the match as underdogs but remains optimistic his players can win the final.

Why will Al Ahly be devastated if they do not win? 

"To walk into a club that is struggling badly in the league but going very well in Africa is a little bit bizarre," Baxter told BBC.

"I think we have got a decent chance because we are in a final, but certainly we are the underdogs. They will be devastated if they do not beat us, I am sure. But our players certainly think that there is a scenario where we can beat them and we are certainly not beaten before the game has started. 

"We are hoping to give a very, very good account of ourselves, and just be better than they think we are."

What is Al Ahly's weapon?

The 67-year-old believes the consistency of the Red Devils will play a massive role on Saturday.

"They are quick all over the field and play a style that borders on a non-African type of football," Baxter continued.

"They play a mix of Pitso [Mosimane's] possession-based football and the more direct North African approach to the game. 

"[Al Ahly] are an efficient outfit and are used to winning - that's probably their biggest weapon. They believe they will win games when they go into them, both in the league and on the continent.

"We have got to make sure that they do not build on that, by feeling more and more comfortable as the game goes on and we've got to hurt them more than they think we will."

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

The Germany Olympics team's friendly match against Honduras came to an abrupt end on Saturday when the players walked off the field because of alleged racist abuse directed at Jordan Torunarigha.

Stefan Kuntz's side faced the Central American nation in preparation for the 2020 Olympics, which begin next week.

The teams were tied at 1-1, with Germany equalising thanks to a goal from Felix Uduokhai, before the alleged incident took place.

What has happened?

The players walked off the field with five minutes left to play.

The Germany Olympics football team's Twitter account claimed that the players decided to leave because defender Torunarigha had been racially insulted.

"The game had to be stopped five minutes before the end when the score was 1-1. After our player Jordan Torunarigha was racially insulted, the German team left the field together," the short update read.

The DFB has confirmed to Goal and SPOX that the alleged insult was made by one of the Honduras players. 

There were no spectators at the match, which was a behind-closed-doors game played in Wakayama, Japan.

Torunarigha has suffered racist abuse before

Torunarigha has regrettably had to endure racist abuse in the past.

In February last year, the Hertha Berlin defender was targeted by Schalke fans during a DFB-Pokal encounter, with the Bundesliga side subsequently fined €50,000 for the incident by the DFB.

Other recent cases of racism in football

Racism in football has been a prominent issue this summer.

Three England players - Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka - were all victims of racist abuse on social media after missing penalties in the Euro 2020 final defeat against Italy.

Each player published a statement on social media during the week in which they spoke out against the discrimination.

"There is no place for racism or hate of any kind in football or in any area of society and to the majority of people coming together to call out the people sending these messages, by taking action and reporting these comments to the police and by driving out the hate by being kind to one another, we will win," Saka wrote.

Like Saka, Rashford admitted he expected to receive racist messages and comments following his miss, saying: "I've grown into a sport where I expect to read things written about myself.

"Whether it be the colour of my skin, where I grew up or, most recently, how I decide to spend my time off the pitch I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I came from."

Racism on social media has been a recurring problem throughout the last year, with many players highlighting the abuse they have received, prompting English football to boycott Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in an attempt to force them to tackle the issue.

Further reading

Bundesliga giants and 2021 German Cup winners Borussia Dortmund (BVB) and Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Lion City Sailors (LCS) have entered into a two-and-a-half-year partnership which would see a series of youth development programmes, coaching, educational and professional exchanges as well as football training camps in Germany, among others, that will bring the two football clubs together with one common goal.

This partnership between BVB and LCS will also help flourish Singapore’s youth football development and overall support the growth in areas of sports science, sports medicine, analytics and talent scouting.

Benedikt Scholz, Head of International & New Business and Managing Director of BVB Football Academy said: “We are proud to solidify this partnership with LCS, one of the most exciting football clubs in the SPL. Establishing key partners of this scale and ambition has always been a central part of our vision for BVB, enabling us to keep sharing and contributing towards the growth of youth football in Asia. We are looking forward to working with LCS to bring to life our key objectives in youth development and sports education.”

The partnership will see an annual training camp in Dortmund for the LCS Football Academy’s elite team, with an additional training stint pencilled in for selected footballers from the Academy’s scholarship programme.

Suresh Letchmanan, Managing Director of BVB Asia Pacific further highlighted: “We are very excited about this partnership; it is an incredible milestone for both BVB and LCS. Both clubs are dynamic and progressive brands with a commitment to developing talented youth players and it is these common beliefs which make the two organisations ideally suited. We will be working closely to implement creative and innovative activities with LCS in the coming months that harness the passion of our clubs and connect with our fantastic fans in and around Asia.”

The Sailors are excited at the prospect of a partnership that will boost its drive for the development of the club and its LCS Football Academy that is aimed at growing into an elite youth development hub.

“We are delighted to partner with BVB, a club that has shown a tremendous commitment to youth development, fan engagement and the growth of the sport in general,” said LCS Chief Executive Officer, Chew Cun-Liang.

“We are an ambitious club with a vision of becoming one of the best in Asia. To get there, we must learn from the best, and in BVB we have found a partner that is among the best in the world,” he added. “We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with BVB.”

Ghanaian midfielder Kamaldeen Sulemana has revealed the reason he opted to sign for Rennes despite previously being linked to Manchester United and Ajax.

The French side reportedly paid a €15m (£13m/$18m) fee plus add ons to FC Nordsaelland for his services.

Sulemana signed a five-year contract becoming the fourth player from Ghana to turn out of Rennes after John Mensah, Asamoah Gyan, and John Boye.

“I am very happy to join Stade Rennais FC, a very good French club. The project meets my expectations. The Ligue 1 Uber Eats is one of the best leagues in Europe,” Sulemana told the club’s official website.

“There is a very good team in Rennes, a lot of talent. I know the club is famous for its training. For a young player like me, this is the best choice for progress.

“I have come to help the team achieve their goals. It is a great challenge to take up.”

Rennes Technical Director Florian Maurice also explained why they signed Sulemana.

“We wanted to strengthen our attack. He is a player capable of evolving both out wide and in the centre as well.

“He scores goals and knows how to make the last pass. He has enormous qualities, he has speed and percussion, he can make the difference.

“It was important for us to bring an additional offensive weapon to the team. This is good news for the club. He is a great rookie because he is a player who was in demand.

“We managed to do what was necessary to attract him to Rennes. Which at first was not necessarily obvious.”

Maurice continued: “We were competing with clubs like Ajax and others in the Premier League. We show that we are able to attract players of this standing. It’s a satisfaction for the whole club.

“I have known him since he was in Denmark. He's a player we've followed all season. Now he's going to have to work and get up to speed because he doesn't know Ligue 1 Uber Eats.

“It's a tough championship. It's up to him to fit in well. He has some notions of French so it can go quite quickly.”

Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung has called on the players to go all out and make history during the Caf Champions League final against Al Ahly.
 
Motaung insists it is a crucial moment for the club to lift a trophy they have never been able to in their 51 years of existence. To the chair, it is also an opportunity to reward the fans and South Africans who are going to support them as they tackle the reigning champions in Morocco.

"My message to the team is that we have worked hard to reach the final. We must now go all out on Saturday to make it count. I also want to encourage the team to remember they are carrying the hopes of the Amakhosi family and the rest of South Africans who are rallying behind the team," Motaung told the club's portal.

"To win the trophy and to put the star on top of the Kaizer Chiefs badge will ensure team members will forever have their names cast in stone in the history books of the club. I am confident they will represent us with pride and dignity.  I wish the team all of the best in the 90 minutes of sweating it out against Al Ahly. We all know they have been there and done it before. But we have also worked hard to reach this stage and we are going for gold."

Motaung gave credit to the team for working hard in the continental competition even though they struggled on the Premier Soccer League front.
 
"This is historic and a moment that we have all been waiting for. It is important to remember that we have come a long way to get here. To some, it might appear as a season’s work, but this is an important part of a journey we have traveled over the past 51 years," added the chair.

"The team has worked hard to reach the final through trying conditions, coupled with playing at the height of the Covid-19 global pandemic. It took courage, character and commitment to go through all the stages of this competition to reach the final. I want to thank the team and the entire club for their contribution and hard work during the journey to reach the final."

"I am humbled and want to thank God for enabling me to witness this history of seeing the club play in the Caf Champions League final. I also want to thank all the past and present members of the club – and our legions of loyal supporters that have formed part of our journey – for their contribution."

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

Yanga SC have turned to Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Anthony Akumu as a replacement for Haruna Niyonzima.

Goal can exclusively reveal the Jangwani giants have listed the Kenyan star as the best-suited player to replace the Rwandan, who ended his contract with the club on Thursday.

Niyonzima was given a befitting send-off by Yanga during the team’s top-flight Mainland Premier League match against Ihefu at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, which the former won 2-0.

A source within Yanga has confirmed to Goal they have settled for Akumu to replace Niyonzima and they will open negotiations to sign him after his team’s Caf Champions League final against Egyptian giants Al Ahly on Saturday.

What has been said?

“We have picked on Akumu to replace Haruna [Niyonzima] and talks to sign him will start immediately after Chiefs play Al Alhy in the Champions League final,” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal on Saturday.

“We have followed Akumu since he moved to Zambia from Kenya and we know he has struggled to get playing time at Chiefs and that gives us the best chance to get his services.

“We want to build a solid squad for next season now that we will also take part in the Champions League and the kind of players we want are experienced ones and our coach is happy if we go for Akumu, so we will open talks when he is done with the Champions League final.”

The 27-year-old Akumu, who won the FKF Premier League title with Gor Mahia, joined Chiefs on January 15, 2020, from Zambian giants Zesco United.

However, Akumu has struggled to get playing time at Chiefs mostly making appearances from the bench.

The source further confirmed they were also interested to sign Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna but due to Akumu's experience, they opted against the move.

“Another option we were looking at was Kenneth [Muguna] of Gor Mahia, but Akumu is far better in terms of his solid displays, experience of playing in continental football while in Zambia and South Africa, and he can also fit in well into our playing style,” the source continued.

Muguna has also been linked with a move to Yanga rivals Azam FC.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has confessed he will have respect and not fear Kaizer Chiefs during the Caf Champions League final on July 17 in Morocco.

The South African tactician added that he is confident of winning the 10th Champions League League trophy for the Egyptian side, but his confidence is guarded by respect for the opponent.

"It is not about fear, but it is about reality and respect for the opponent," Mosimane told reporters.

"They play their own style of football and we have to respect their own style of play because it has made them go through past Wydad Casablanca, which is not a small team. Their way of playing made them go to Simba and win, and Simba is not a small team as well."

Notably, Chiefs lost away to Simba after beating the Tanzanian club in South Africa.

"It is an opportunity for Al Ahly to win the 10th title and a chance for players to put their prints on Champions League history. Obviously, it is a big honour to be here and play in the final because it is not easy, especially if you look at how many teams tried to be finalists."

"It has been a long way for us to come to this place and it has not been easy, and so we are humbled because we worked hard to get here. Everyone who is at the final feels there is an equal chance to win. We respect the opponent, but we are confident."

On his part, captain Mohamed Elshenawy stated they might enjoy the support of Moroccan fans against Chiefs but that should not take away the fact that the game will be a tough one.

"It is going to be an adventurous final since it has been quite a long time since we played at this stadium and Chiefs played here in their semi-final game, but we can feel the support of the fans since it is an Arabic country," Elshenawy said.

"We are aware of the task ahead, but we are looking forward to winning and lifting the trophy. As a team and players, we feel the importance of this match and to win the club's 10th title.

"We are all alive to the idea that it is a competition that we must win the title. We have the same ambitions and the same will and I would like to send a message to the fans back home that we will do our best to bring this title back home in order to make them happy and proud."

As Al Ahly are looking for a 10th title, the Glamour Boys are on the hunt for their first such continental trophy.

Arsenal are closing in on the capture of Ben White after having a bid accepted by Brighton for the centre-back.

The Gunners have been locked in talks with the Seagulls for weeks over the 23-year-old and had already seen two offers knocked back.

But a breakthrough in negotiations on Friday saw a £50 million ($69m) bid accepted, with Arsenal now being given permission to finalise a deal with the England international.

What's the latest?

Arsenal have always been confident of striking a deal for White , who was the club’s priority defensive target this summer.

Despite having two earlier bids rejected, talks with Brighton always remained amicable, with the ongoing negotiations centring around the structure of the transfer.

Arsenal had previously indicated to Brighton that they were willing to meet their £50m valuation, but what had to be agreed was the exact structure of the deal and the various clauses and bonuses that would be included.

Full agreement between the clubs was reached on Friday, with Arsenal now able to finalise personal terms with the player ahead of his move to north London.

Will the deal be completed quickly?

There could be a slight delay in completing the transfer, as White is currently away on holiday following the conclusion of Euro 2020.

All players who were involved with England at the tournament have been given three weeks off, although White is expected to cut that short at some point to finalise his transfer and undergo a medical

Arsenal are currently in Scotland at a training camp and will travel back to London after the game with Rangers on Saturday before flying to America early next week to take part in the Florida Cup.

White will not, however, be involved in the trip to the United States.

Further reading

Kaizer Chiefs captain Bernard Parker believes they deserve to be in the Caf Champions League final where they will play Al Ahly.

The Soweto heavyweights made it to the final after defeating Wydad Casablanca in the semis while the Red Devils advanced after getting past Esperance de Tunis. 

This is the first time Amakhosi are playing in the final and the veteran forward has revealed everyone is excited and happy to make it to the last two.

'We have worked hard to be here'

"This is every player's dream. You play football, you strive and you work hard to play at that level in such a competition," Parker told the media ahead of the Saturday game.

"It is every player's dream to be in such a situation and we have found ourselves in it. You know as a team, we have worked very hard to come this far; we started together, supported one another... we deserve to be in the final. 

"From the players' perspective everyone is happy, everyone is excited and everyone is looking forward to this match. We cannot wait for the kick-off."

How will Stuart Baxter's availability on the bench help?

The 35-year-old forward has welcomed the availability of coach Baxter in the technical area after he secured his working permit. He has also commented on the team at large and the spirit within the squad.

"Having a coach nearer to us is a plus. Everyone is clear on their roles and it is up to us to go and execute," Parker continued.

"We have such a good mix of players in terms of experience and age. The youngsters are happy and excited to be part of the team. We have a good spirit in terms of interactions and everyone is free to ask questions. Everyone performs and we want to perform again with the coach on the bench which is extra motivation."

Why is the match important for Amakhosi?

The last time the South African heavyweights played in a continental final was in 2002 when they played Al Ahly in the Caf Super Cup where the latter won 4-1. It was months after winning the 2001 African Cup Winners' Cup.

"After so many years we find ourselves in [the continental final] every player is aware of what has been going on in the team," Parker added.

"It is a moment now where we are in a position to make history. We want to write history and with the club turning 51 years old this year, it is a good way to turn the year by making history. We are well prepared and all we are doing is waiting for the starting whistle. 

"We are stronger now than we have been before in the competition. With the backing of the technical team and strength within the team, we have what it takes to go all the way and win."  

Kaizer Chiefs and Al Ahly cross swords at Casablanca’s Stade Mohamed V Stadium in a bid for the African championship on Saturday.

It is a clash between teams with contrasting records on the continent.

For Al Ahly, they have won the Champions League on nine occasions before and are chasing history to be crowned champions for a record-extending 10th title.

They come up against Amakhosi who will be making a maiden appearance in the Champions League final in a season they participated in the group stage for the first time ever.

Interestingly, Al Ahly are under the tutelage of former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane who has three South Africans in his backroom staff.

Mosimane led the Cairo giants to a ninth Champions League title last season which was his first term at the club.

TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch

Squads & Team News

Chiefs have confirmed they have all their players available for Saturday’s final.

That means the return of star player Khama Billiat who has been injured since April and missed the quarter-final and semi-final games.

His last Champions League game was Chiefs’ final group fixture away at Horoya when his goal secured Amakhosi a 2-2 draw which sent them to the last-eight.

Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter could have a selection headache in choosing the goalkeeper who will start between Itumeleng Khune, Bruce Bvuma and Daniel Akpeyi.

The Cairo giants know Baxter very well after the Englishman orchestrated Bafana Bafana’s 1-0 victory over Egypt at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, a Round of 16 result which knocked the Pharaohs out of the tournament they were hosting.

Al Ahly coach Mosimane traveled to Morocco with all his players including the injured trio of Walid Soliman, Mohamed Mahmoud, and Karim Nedved.

If the players pass late fitness tests, they could be surprisingly thrown into the fray.

Veteran midfielder Soliman, however, has seen limited game time in the Champions League this season with four appearances.

Match Preview

A journey that started with a 1-0 away win over Cameroonian champions PWD Bamenda in the preliminary round of this tournament will end in Casablanca for Chiefs.

Amakhosi will be playing their 15th Champions League game of the season on the backdrop of six wins, as many draws and two defeats. They have not conceded at home.

They are back at Stade Mohamed V, a stadium that offers good memories after they beat Wydad Casablanca 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-finals on June 19.

Defending champions Al Ahly go into Saturday’s encounter with a season record of eight Champions League wins, three draws and one defeat which came away at Simba SC in the group stage.

It will be the third time for Al Ahly to meet South African opponents this season after they knocked out Mamelodi Sundowns at the quarter-final stage.3-1 on aggregate. 

Mosimane and Baxter will resume their rivalry after previous clashes in the Premier Soccer League.

The ex-Sundowns tactician has a better record against the Englishman, having prevailed five times, shared spoils twice and lost three times.

Chiefs could have felt inspired after conducting training sessions at Caf Confederation Cup champions Raja Casablanca’s Oasis Training Centre.

Having last been involved in a competitive match on June 26 when they drew 0-0 against Wydad at home, Chiefs will be hoping they will not face fitness issues against Al Ahly who have played four Egyptian Premier League matches in July alone and avoiding defeat in all of them.

They go into Saturday’s game on a high after winning their last three games in which they scored 10 goals and conceded just once.

Kaizer Chiefs arrived in Casablanca knowing that South African teams have previously failed to beat Al Ahly in the Champions League final.

The Red Devils beat Sundowns 4-1 on aggregate in the 2001 final, before overcoming Orlando Pirates 3-1 on aggregate in 2013.

Chiefs and Al Ahly have played against each other just once before when they clashed in the 2002 Caf Super Cup with the Cairo giants winning 4-1 in Alexandria.

Current Amakhosi assistant coach Arthur Zwane lasted 90 minutes in that game playing as a left-sided midfielder.

AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda has told his players to focus and win the FKF Premier League title next season as the “offer to win houses is still valid.”

Ingwe players had been promised to get fully furnished houses in Nairobi if they had won the top-flight title this season but with Tusker already getting the ticket to the Caf Champions League, the offer has been overtaken by events.

Shikanda has clarified to Goal the offer to win houses is valid for two years meaning the players will still get the houses if they emerge league winners in the 2021-22 season.

What has been said?

“The offer to win houses was valid for two years, so they still have another year to get the houses if they win the title next season,” Shikanda told Goal on Saturday.

“We told the players and the technical bench that the offer we gave them was for two years, so nothing has changed, all they need to do is to work hard and get the title next season, if they win the title, then each player in the squad by then will be guaranteed a house in Nairobi.”

In a recent interview, Shikanda revealed the competitiveness of the current league came to an end on June 30 when Tusker were handed the ticket to the Champions League for next season.

Shikanda on the league losing meaning

“The flavour for the league ended on June 30 when Tusker were given the Caf Champions League ticket, I don’t even know what we are playing for, because we don’t have anything at stake now,” Shikanda told Goal.

“If you have decided to say one team is going to continental football, so what are the rest of the teams playing for? I don’t even know what we are playing for in the league, because we don’t even have the number one slot available.

"What will number one team take for the season when you have already given the Caf ticket to Tusker? Even if number one becomes the champions at the end of August 22 and we already have Tusker going for continental, so why should teams fight for a position that has already been given out?

“Even if you play the season to the end, nothing will change at the top because FKF has picked Tusker, we play football to get a continental ticket and not the prize money of Ksh3million, we want to represent the country and for now the league is done and dusted and we should focus for next season.”

Further FKF Premier League reading 

On Wednesday, South African sports cable content provider Supersport announced they had secured the rights for the broadcast of the 2021 Caf Champions League final.

While the presence of Kaizer Chiefs in their first-ever continental final no doubt played a part in the decision to pursue the license, the announcement was greeted with universal approval by journalists and other stakeholders in African football.

In Nigeria, the second-largest customer base of Multichoice (owners of Supersport), the news barely registered, however. It is not difficult to understand why: over the years, Africa’s most populous nation has endured a difficult relationship with the Caf Champions League.

When Enyimba, hopped up on the commonwealth of an entire state, became the first Nigerian club to win the competition in 2003, and then repeated the feat the following year, it was seen as the end of a hoodoo, the breaking of a glass ceiling.

However, since that historic double, only once – Heartland FC in 2009 – has a Nigerian club reached another final.

As a result, Nigerian interest in the competition has slowly atrophied, as time and again the country’s representatives have failed to play a decisive role in the ultimate destiny of the trophy.

This final, however, merits closer observation.

Look beyond the surface identity and nationality of Saturday’s competitors and there are important Nigeria-centric storylines to sink the teeth into.

On the Al Ahly side of things, there is forward Junior Ajayi. The Nigeria international has, over the course of five years, established himself as a key cog in the Ahly winning machine, and played a crucial role in the Egyptian giants’ Champions League triumph last time out.

The former Shooting Stars forward has endured a stop-start campaign to date, with a number of injuries hampering his rhythm and seeing him lose his place in the starting line-up for the Red Devils.

This, combined with the form of Mohamed Afsha, has reduced Ajayi to a bit-part role.

He did, however, provide an important contribution in the knockout stages, marking his return from a lengthy lay-off by coming off the bench in Ahly’s quarter-final first leg over Mamelodi Sundowns to assist Salah Mohsen for a crucial second goal that decisively took the tie away from the Brazilians.

Considering he has not featured for the nine-time African champions in any of their last four league matches, it is unlikely he will be selected to start on Saturday.

However, his discipline and dynamism in the final third make him a valuable asset to call upon in any phase of the game, and coach Pitso Mosimane is a big enough fan of his abilities that he has included him in the squad to Casablanca.

While Ajayi could well influence proceedings whether he starts or not, Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi is part of a three-way tussle for a starting spot for Kaizer Chiefs. If he loses out to either Bruce Bvuma or Itumeleng Khune, his semi-final heroics against Wydad Casablanca will very likely be his final contribution to Amakhosi’s cause.

It would be almost unfair, considering that Stuart Baxter’s side would certainly have buckled under the weight of, not just the Moroccans’ attack, but the memory of their close shave in the previous round against Tanzanian side Simba.

This time though, there was no capitulation, in large part due to Akpeyi making a whopping seven saves and earning the Man of the Match award afterward.

It was an overdue bit of redemption for the 34-year-old, who has enjoyed a decidedly mixed time of things since joining the Glamour Boys.

First backed when Chiefs’ legend Khune got injured, Akpeyi’s ability to flit between the sublime and the ridiculous made his incumbency a hard sell, and allowed erstwhile third-choice Bvuma to not only get his foot in the door, but put them up on the sofa with a couple of impressive performances of his own.

With all three in with a chance of starting, Baxter has quite the job on his hands making a decision that could very well define the destiny of his team in Saturday’s final.

It is one that will also have a significant bearing on Akpeyi’s fading international prospects with Nigeria, for whom he has not started a game since a 4-2 win over Lesotho in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying in 2019. Starting a Champions League Final (and impressing) lends precisely the sort of cache that would make him interesting once again for Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr.

Similarly, Ajayi has struggled to earn the recognition he arguably deserves, largely on account of playing within the continent.

Capable of doing a job upfront or from out wide, it can seem an oversight when Ahmed Musa, sans club, and Ayomide Marcus, playing out of the Portuguese second division, were handed call-ups in the most recent international window. Should he prove decisive, even in a limited capacity, it would make a more eloquent case than any amount of public outcry would.

The final may be contested between clubs from Egypt and South Africa, but there is good reason for Nigerian audiences to tune in on Saturday.

Further Caf Champions League final reading 

Guest Feature | Lotfi Wada

Al-Ahly's Golden Generation achieved more in the continental arena than any other side in African football history, with a crop of players who won everything at club and international level. They stand unparalleled at the pinnacle of African club achievement.

However, coming into the summer of 2004, Al-Ahly had just completed a disastrous season.

A loss in the Egyptian Cup final to second division side Arab Contractors, succumbing in the Egyptian Premier League to bitter foe SC Zamalek, and most importantly, a pitiful elimination at home vs Al Hilal in the Caf Champions League, left the Red Devils with no choice but to reinforce their squad.

Ahly splashed the cash to sign some of the Egyptian league’s finest stars in response.

They joined an already talented squad that was led by a promising attacker named Mohamed Aboutrika, who had joined the club the winter before.

Ahly's aspirations when approaching the Champions League the next season were to lift the trophy. Manuel Jose's men brushed past giants like Raja Casablanca, Enyimba, and bitter foe Zamalek in the semis to reach the final.

Matched against Etoile du Sahel, the Red Devils were able to snatch a third Champions League crown courtesy of academy product Osama Hosny and fresh signings Aboutrika and Mohamed Barakat.

The red machine was born.

Despite a bumpier ride the next year, Ahly and their Galacticos reached the final again, where they met another Tunisian side—CS Sfaxien.

Forced to a painful 1-1 draw in Cairo in the first leg, the Red Devils had their backs to the wall for the return match in Rades.

In a terrific atmosphere, and in front of fans merely waiting for the locals to be crowned, Ahly ultimately demonstrated the gulf in class between themselves and their opponents.

From a desperate long ball from Mohamed Shady, Emad Moteab’s deflection fell to Aboutrika’s boot, and they playmaker duly smashed it past Ahmed Jawachi.

It was a goal which perfectly embodied Ahly's strategy: the coupling of academy graduates and experienced stars.

From nowhere, they had won the cup and silenced Rades in the coldest manner possible.

This fourth title was surely their most dramatic, but also earned them a spot in the revamped Club World Cup.

Powered by the fabled Bermuda triangle (Barakat, Aboutrika and Flavio), the Red Devils were in Japan to improve on their disastrous 2005 exit.

Pitted against Oceania champions Auckland City, two gorgeous strikes from Flavio and Aboutrika saw them through the semis. Locking horns against future champions Internacional, Ahly would bow down with honour after giving the South Americans an excellent fight.

Against Club America in the third-placed playoff, Aboutrika’s flamboyant display underpinned a historic bronze medal which remained, until recently, the finest result by an African team in the Club World Cup.

After bagging another Caf Super Cup weeks later, defeating Etoile du Sahel in the final, Ahly set their sights on doing what nobody else did before: winning a gargantuan treble of Champions Leagues.

A typical Ahly campaign, full of experience and match mastery led to the Red Devils qualifying for their third final in a row. Half of the job was done; they had now to lock horns with Etoile again.

Psychologically and tactically advantaged after picking up a draw in Sousse, Manuel Jose's men appeared in pole position to achieve what nobody had done beforehand.

In front of their fans and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak himself, Ahly were upset by a nothing-to-lose Etoile side and had a trophy that seemed promised to them snatched away at the death.

The Red Goliath were on their knees after missing out on an opportunity to write even more African football history with a colossal three-in-a-row.

2008 would be the year of redemption, as a squad containing many members of the Egypt team which steamrolled Ivory Coast and Cameroon in Ghana entered the competition with one goal in mind: to take another continental crown.

A superb campaign resulted in Ahly reaching a fourth final in four years—equalling Tout Puissant Mazembe’s record from the 1960s—and they duly took a comfortable 2-0 victory from the home leg at Cairo International Stadium.

In the return match in Garoua, Ahmed Hassan flicked Ahly into the lead, but goals from Lassina Abdoul Karim and Ousmailia Baba took Coton to within one goal of success.

In the 89th minute, however, the mercurial Barakat earned a penalty, which was calmly converted by Shady to seal the title.

With calm, experience and a gulf of class separating them from the rest of their opponents, the Red Devils, led by the professor Manuel Jose, won an impressive third Champions League in four years to overtake their biggest rivals SC Zamalek and become the club with the greatest number of Champions League won.

Ahly obviously entered their favourite tournament in 2009 as arch-favourites, but were stunned at home by one of the surprise packages of the competition: Kano Pillars.

Relegated to the Confederation Cup, the Red Devils were cowed by inexperienced Angolans Santos after winning the first leg 3-0 in Cairo.

This ultimately marked the end of five years of near-undiluted domination from an extraordinary generation who reached four Champions League finals, won three, and was at the core of Egypt’s finest Afcon successes.

Considering their impact both in Caf competitions and on the bobbly pitches of the African Cup of Nations—at a time when European stars were kings—this Ahly generation is undoubtedly the greatest crop of players African club football has ever seen.

Never have a generation left an impression of dominance, through their displays and through trophies like this golden pool of players.

Although strongly affected by the Port Said catastrophe, the few survivors of this generation (Aboutrika, Barakat, Wael Gomaa) coupled with talents like Abdallah El-Said and Walid Soliman would return to glory three years later after seeing off Esperance.

Ahly would proceed to clinch another Caf Super Cup, and would win their latest Champions League crown in 2013, defeating surprise package Orlando Pirates in the final.

It proved to be the swansong for Aboutrika, a truly magical playmaker.

Further Caf Champions League final reading