Moghreb de Tetouan will fly today to Cairo for its next match against the Smouha team scheduled for next Sunday in Alexandria, for the first day of the group stage (GP: A) of the African Champions League.

Once in the Egyptian capital, MAT will have to carry out two training sessions before returning on Friday to the city of Alexandria to refine the final touches before this meeting which will be played behind closed doors. A fact that should not play into the hands of the Egyptian team nor overly favour the champions of Morocco.

Before the trip to Egypt, MAT prepared as it should for this confrontation. Apparently, Smouha would not be an unknown equation for the Tetouan coach, the Spaniard Sergio Lobera, who watched tapes to get an idea of this opponent who, certainly, does not have the standing of Al Ahly or Zamalek, but who aspires to make a name for itself on the continental scene like MAT.

Moreover, Sergio Lobera was cautious in his statements, warning his protégés that it would be absolutely necessary to negotiate this inaugural match well, since a positive result will allow the club to envisage the rest of the journey in good conditions. Regarding this African campaign, if there is a hitch to note, it concerns the departures from MAT of some key players, the most prominent of which is that of Mohcine Iajour, the tournament's top scorer transferred to the Qatar club. There are also the cases of Fouzi Abdelghani and Rafik Abdessamad who will wear the colours of the neighbouring club Ittihad de Tanger, which has returned to Elite 1, next season.

Key elements have therefore left to try their luck elsewhere, but that does not mean that MAT will appear empty-handed for this group stage. The club counts, of course, in its squad other players as talented as they are experienced, including no less than four internationals, who maintain the legitimate hope of going as far as possible in this continental C1. An objective that is essential, especially since MAT is now the only representative of national football in African competitions after the eliminations of Raja, FUS, and RSB from the Confederation Cup, knowing that the Greens had started the competition in the Champions League before being relegated to C2. To win the ticket for the group stage, MAT managed to count in its continental hunting list the Malians of the Olympique de Bamako club, the Nigerians of Kano Pillars, and the Egyptians of the National of Cairo. Great football teams, which should necessarily boost the morale of Abdelaadim Khadrouf's partners to continue the adventure. Starting with Smouha before hosting the Congolese of TP Mazembe and the Sudanese of El Hilal twice in a row on 12 and 26 July respectively. MAT will begin the return leg with a trip to Khartoum to reply to this same El Hilal (9 August), will subsequently receive the Smouha team (23 August) before the trip to Lubumbashi where it will be awaited firmly by TP Mazembe, on 11 September.

Only the top two in the group will qualify for the semi-finals which will be played in first (29 September) and return (2 October) legs, just like the final (first leg: 30 October, return leg: 6 November).

It should be remembered that Group B contains three Algerian protagonists, namely Mouloudia d'El Eulma, Entente de Setif, the title holder, USMA, in addition to the Sudanese of El Merreikh.