CAF CL: Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller voices out special preparation for Medeama SC clash on Saturday

Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller has told his players to maintain focus and use a smart approach as they prepare to face Ghanaian side Medeama in the CAF Champions League match day 1 of Group D.

The Cairo giants, whose impressive record includes 11 CAF Champions League titles, will host Medeama in their opening Group D encounter on Saturday, 25th November 2023.

“I hope the players will be fully focused against Medeama,” Koller stated during the pre-match press conference. “We must balance attacking with defending since they are equally important.”

The Swiss coach emphasized the importance of approaching the group stage with the utmost seriousness, acknowledging that Medeama will also be determined to secure a positive result away from home.

“We must capitalize on the advantage of playing at home in front of our fans,” Koller remarked. “We need to be smart in our approach against the Ghanaian team to achieve the desired outcome.”

Koller acknowledged the challenges of gathering information on African teams compared to their European counterparts. He revealed that he has watched three Medeama matches to gain insight into their strengths and weaknesses.

“I hope the team will be at full strength during training,” Koller added. “Al Ahly is a big club, and the players are involved with national teams. Despite the additional travel and matches, we have faith in our players’ experience to handle this situation.”

The game is scheduled for Saturday, Nove 25 at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo. The kickoff time is set for 19:00GMT.