The much-anticipated 2023/2024 CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup matches are set to begin this weekend with the first preliminary round fixtures across the continent.
This year, the quartet of Nigeria Professional Football League champions Enyimba, Remo Stars, Rivers United and Bendel Insurance is representing Nigeria in the CA inter-clubs competitions.
Enyimba and Bendel Insurance replace Plateau United and Kwara United who along with Rivers United and Remo Stars represented Nigeria in the continent last season.
Rivers United have been drawn bye due to their impressive performance in last season’s Confederation Cup where they got to the quarter-finals.
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However, champions Enyimba will travel to Tripoli to battle Libyan side Ahli Benghazi tomorrow.
It promises to be a tricky tie for Enyimba whose impressive record against African oppositions appears to have waned as they were eliminated by Al Ittihad in the knockout phase of the Confederation Cup in 2021.
The winner between Enyimba and Ahli Benghazi over two legs will have the opportunity to face either Benin Republic-based club Cottonsports or Asec Mimosa from Ivory Coast in the second preliminary round.
Elsewhere, CAF Champions League debutants, Remo Stars will be the guests of champions of Ghana, Medeama at the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow.
Expectedly, the match will rekindle the football rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana and victory for Remo Stars over two legs will see them battle Guinean club side Horoya in the second Round.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Bendel Insurance, winners of the FA Cup, who are returning to the continent after over 34 years, will commence their campaign today at home against Algerian side ASO Chlef.
If they secure a win over two legs, the ‘Benin Gunners’ will face another North African side, RS Berkane, in the second stage.
To propel Insurance to victory, the Edo State government has offered residents of Benin city free tickets to watch the match at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
The Chairman, Edo State Sport Commission, Yussuf Alli who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the preparation ahead of the match, said the first 100 spectators to arrive at the venue of the match would get free Insurance jerseys.
He said the state government would provide free transportation to the stadium for residents at various designations across the state by 12pm.
“We are not just picking them to the stadium, we would return them to where they boarded the buses. At the entrance to the stadium, they will be issued free tickets to watch the match,” said Alli.
Alli, therefore, appealed to the residents to come out and support Bendel Insurance to pick the maximum points.
