Confederation of African Football
Wydad Athletic Club head coach Sven Vandenbroeck says the ambition to retain the title is their biggest motivation as they prepare to face off with Al Ahly in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final in Cairo on Sunday evening.
Wydad beat Al Ahly 2-0 to clinch the title last year, in a single-leg finale played in Casablanca and Vandenbroeck believes they have the ability to repeat the feat.
It was the second time that Wydad were beating Al Ahly in the final, having also done so in 2017.
“I understand that can hurt. It (the history) will play a small role but it will not change much. A final is always special. For us, winning and retaining the trophy is what is motivating,” the tactician said, speaking ahead of the duel.
The Belgian tactician just recently joined the team, and he says it will be a massive honour for him to lead them to victory and the title.
For the final, Wydad will be without midfielder Abdullah Hamoud who underwent surgery for appendicitis. Despite Hamoud’s absence, the coach still believes he has a strong squad to challenge for a good result in Cairo.
“All players who play for Wydad have good quality and anyone can be in the starting 11. It (Hamoud’s) is a loss for us because he gives us good balance both offensively and defensively. But, his health is more important. We have a rich team and there will be someone to replace him,” the tactician opined.
Meanwhile, Wydad will be looking for inspiration from Morocco’s historic run at the FIFA World Cup last year in Qatar as they aim to stop Al Ahly from clinching a record extending 11th Champions League crown.
The first leg kicks off at 21h00 local time (19h00 GMT) at the Cairo International Stadium, while Wydad host the return fixture a week later in Casablanca.