Latest news with #MouinChaabani
Arab News
6 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League
JOHANNESBURG: Renaissance Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani believes the Moroccan club could go one better than CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids and win the competition at the first attempt. Cairo outfit Pyramids won the premier African club competition last Sunday in only their second appearance by beating South African rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate. Berkane last month became Moroccan champions for the first time, finishing 13 points ahead of runners-up FAR Rabat. Called the Orange Boys as they are based in the citrus-growing northeast of Morocco, Renaissance will debut in the Champions League this year. It is a milestone for a club formed in 1938 and overshadowed for decades by Casablanca giants Raja and Wydad, both three-time African champions. Berkane finally conquered Morocco by winning 21 of 30 matches, drawing seven, losing just two, scoring 49 goals and conceding only 14 in a championship ranked the second toughest in Africa. While Berkane are Champions League debutants, they are no strangers to Africa having competed in the past eight editions of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, winning three finals. They were also runners-up twice to Egyptian opponents Zamalek, losing one title decider after a penalty shootout and another on away goals. Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup. 'The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,' the coach who won back-to-back titles in the most prized African club competition with Tunis outfit Esperance told reporters. 'Thanks to repeated appearances in the Confederation Cup, I think Berkane have acquired continental experience. We have an ambitious squad capable of competing at the highest level. 'We will approach the Champions League campaign with great respect for opponents, but also with a desire to go far. Why not aim for the title? 'Our supporters can play a key role. Their unwavering backing, at home and away, has carried us through difficult times as well as joyful moments.' The Municipal Stadium in Berkane accommodates just 15,000 spectators, and their closeness to the pitch creates what many visiting coaches have called 'an intimidating atmosphere.' Berkane won 43 of 49 home Confederation Cup matches since debuting in 2015, drew the other six, scored 113 goals and conceded only 18. En route to the latest Confederation Cup triumph, they excelled at home, firing five goals past Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria in the semifinals. The Champions League is becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable with the success of Pyramids not foreseen when the competition kicked off last August. The Cairo club boast a prolific scorer in Congolese Fiston Mayele, whose nine goals won him the Champions League Golden Boot. Pyramids, fellow Egyptian challengers and record 12-time African champions Al Ahly, Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia will hope to claim the $4 million (EUR3.5 million) first prize. Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, who are poised to qualify, and FAR were quarter-finalists last season and capable of going further this time. Apart from the regular campaigners, there will be newcomers like Wiliete of Angola, Colombe of Cameroon and possibly Police, who need one point from two matches to become Kenyan champions. Originally due to kick off in August, the Champions League will be delayed as the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been rescheduled for that month.
Morocco World
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
RS Berkane vs Tanzania's Simba: All About Game Time, Venue, and Streaming
Rabat – Moroccan football club RS Berkane will face off against Tanzania's Simba SC in today's first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final. The match will take place in Morocco's Stade Municipal de Berkane, allowing the Moroccan club to play at home and surrounded by its fans. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. Moroccan time, seeing Berkane racing for its third CAF Confederation Champions title. The club won the same title in 2020 and 2022, and was a runner-up in 2019 and 2024. beIN Sports MENA 3 HD, as well as Sport TV4 Portugal, as well as Supersport WWE HD will display the game. RS Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani said in a pre-match conference that no one should expect a winner before matches are played. 'Simba have a proud history in this competition and are deserving finalists,' he said, adding that they have earned the right to compete for the title. The coach said he's determined that his team will put all their efforts into today's game, as it prepared for it properly. 'There is no reason why we cannot bring the trophy to Morocco,' he said. This competition marks Berkane's fifth appearance in the competition final in seven seasons. The return leg of the match will take place on May 25 at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Arab News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Coach Chaabani wishes Berkane were not CAF Cup final favorites
JOHANNESBURG: Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane are expected to beat Tanzanian rivals Simba in the two-leg CAF Confederation Cup final, but coach Mouin Chaabani wishes they were not the favorites. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport 'There are no winners in football before matches are played,' the 43-year-old Tunisian told reporters ahead of the first leg in Berkane on Saturday. 'Simba have a proud history in this competition and are deserving finalists. They have earned the right to compete for the title. 'However, provided we put in the effort and prepare properly, there is no reason why we cannot bring the trophy to Morocco.' Chaabani, who won seven trophies as coach of Esperance in his homeland, is seeking a treble with Berkane in this campaign. The Orange Boys have already won the Moroccan league for the first time since being formed in 1938, have reached the last 16 in the national cup, and are seeking African glory. Berkane are appearing in a fifth Confederation Cup final in seven seasons. They triumphed in 2020 and 2022 and were runners-up in 2019 and 2024. The club from the citrus producing east of Morocco have a remarkable home record in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europe League with 42 victories, six draws and no losses. Berkane did not concede in six home games en route to the final while putting five goals past Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria. They won 10 of 12 matches, drew one and suffered their only loss away to Constantine in a semifinal second leg having built a four-goal advantage at home. Oussama Lamlioui is their leading scorer in the African campaign with five goals and two west Africans — Paul Bassene from Senegal and Issoufou Dayo from Burkina Faso — have four each. South Africa-born Simba coach Fadlu Davids attributes the incredible home record of Berkane partly to their ground, the 15,000-seat Municipal Stadium. 'It is a small stadium, but a very intimidating one. The supporters are very close to the pitch,' he told reporters. 'I accept that we will have to do a lot of defending and have prepared thoroughly for such a situation.' Simba left Tanzania on Monday in a charter jet organized by the state president, Samia Suluhu Hassan. 'Heartiest congratulations to Simba,' she said, referring to the Dar es Salaam club reaching the Confederation Cup final for the first time. 'You have brought great honor to our country and I wish you all the best. You have my full support.' While the majority of the Berkane starters are likely to be Moroccans, Simba will field a multi-national line-up. Goalkeeper Moussa Camara is Guinean, center-back Chamou Karaboue and star forward Jean Charles Ahoua come from the Ivory Coast and winger Elie Mpanzu is Congolese. Among the Tanzanians, winger Denis Kibu is the leading Simba scorer in Africa this season with four goals and his pace and ball control could trouble Berkane. The return match is set for the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on May 25 and the aggregate winners will be two million dollars richer.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coach Chaabani wishes Berkane were not CAF Cup final favourites
Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane are expected to beat Tanzanian rivals Simba in the two-leg CAF Confederation Cup final, but coach Mouin Chaabani wishes they were not the favourites. "There are no winners in football before matches are played," the 43-year-old Tunisian told reporters ahead of the first leg in Berkane on Saturday. Advertisement "Simba have a proud history in this competition and are deserving finalists. They have earned the right to compete for the title. "However, provided we put in the effort and prepare properly, there is no reason why we cannot bring the trophy to Morocco." Chaabani, who won seven trophies as coach of Esperance in his homeland, is seeking a treble with Berkane in this campaign. The Orange Boys have already won the Moroccan league for the first time since being formed in 1938, have reached the last 16 in the national cup, and are seeking African glory. Berkane are appearing in a fifth Confederation Cup final in seven seasons. They triumphed in 2020 and 2022 and were runners-up in 2019 and 2024. Advertisement The club from the citrus producing east of Morocco have a remarkable home record in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europe League with 42 victories, six draws and no losses. Berkane did not concede in six home games en route to the final while putting five goals past Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria. - Intimidating stadium - They won 10 of 12 matches, drew one and suffered their only loss away to Constantine in a semi-final second leg having built a four-goal advantage at home. Oussama Lamlioui is their leading scorer in the African campaign with five goals and two west Africans -- Paul Bassene from Senegal and Issoufou Dayo from Burkina Faso -- have four each. Advertisement South Africa-born Simba coach Fadlu Davids attributes the incredible home record of Berkane partly to their ground, the 15,000-seat Municipal Stadium. "It is a small stadium, but a very intimidating one. The supporters are very close to the pitch," he told reporters. "I accept that we will have to do a lot of defending and have prepared thoroughly for such a situation." Simba left Tanzania on Monday in a charter jet organised by the state president, Samia Suluhu Hassan. "Heartiest congratulations to Simba," she said, referring to the Dar es Salaam club reaching the Confederation Cup final for the first time. Advertisement "You have brought great honour to our country and I wish you all the best. You have my full support." While the majority of the Berkane starters are likely to be Moroccans, Simba will field a multi-national line-up. Goalkeeper Moussa Camara is Guinean, centre-back Chamou Karaboue and star forward Jean Charles Ahoua come from the Ivory Coast and winger Elie Mpanzu is Congolese. Among the Tanzanians, winger Denis Kibu is the leading Simba scorer in Africa this season with four goals and his pace and ball control could trouble Berkane. The return match is set for the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on May 25 and the aggregate winners will be two million dollars richer. dl/ea
