Al Masry coach reveals why Kaizer Chiefs will be a more difficult opponent for Al Masry

Al Masry head coach Nabil Kouki believes that facing fellow Tunisian Khalil Ben Yousef, the manager of South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs, will add an extra layer of difficulty to their opening match in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

Al Masry will host Kaizer Chiefs in Egypt on Sunday at 16:00 GMT in the first round of the group-phase fixtures.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Kouki stressed the importance of the start:

“The beginnings are extremely important at this stage of the competition.”

The Tunisian coach affirmed that his team is fully focused on claiming all three points:

“We are working with full force to secure the three points.”

Kouki acknowledged the strength of the opposition:

“I know how strong Kaizer Chiefs are, and we are fully prepared to face them.”

He highlighted the added challenge posed by his compatriot on the opposing bench:

“The presence of Tunisian coach Khalil Ben Yousef at the helm of Kaizer Chiefs will add a certain level of difficulty to the match.”

Kouki also spoke on Al Masry supporters:

“I expect Al Masry fans to be present in large numbers tomorrow to support and motivate the players.”

Discussing the club’s ambitions in the Confederation Cup, he said:

“We aim to go as far as possible in the Confederation Cup, starting with qualifying from the group to the next round.”

He added:

“Our ambitions are big, and we will defend our chances in the competition with full strength.”

Despite suffering from injury absences, Kouki remains confident:

“We are suffering a lot from the absence of some key players.”

“Our confidence in all our players is big, and they are capable of compensating for the absences efficiently.”

Al Masry coach also praised South African football:

“I completely respect South African football and they have a distinctive playing identity.”

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