CAF Champions League Preview: Group A

CAF Champions League Preview: Group A

Pyramids FC striker Fiston Mayele. Photo: Pyramids FC

CAF Champions League Preview: Group A

The 2025-26 CAF Champions League group stage begins this weekend and Africa’s premier club competition has plenty of familiar top clubs as well as some new faces taking part this season. Pan-Africa Football is previewing all four groups and below we begin with Group A from the CAF Champions League, which features reigning champions Pyramids FC of Egypt, CAF Confederation Cup holders RS Berkane of Morocco as well as Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambian champions Power Dynamos:

 

RS Berkane (MAR)

 

Introduction

 

The club based close to Morocco’s northeast border with Algeria continues to enjoy rapid growth to its reputation in African club football. After years of playing second fiddle to Casablanca heavyweights Raja and Wydad while thriving in the CAF Confederation Cup, the 2024-25 season was RSB’s rise to the spotlight. While winning the Confederation Cup for the third time in the last six years, the Orange Boys claimed their first-ever Botola Pro title in Morocco’s top flight as well and now wants to take the next step in the CAF Champions League.

 

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RSB are led by Tunisian coach Mouin Chaabani, an imposing former defender who spent most of his career at Tunis giants Esperance. The 42-year-old has built a squad that is defensively well organized with a committee of goal scorers, making RSB a team that is not flashy but incredibly efficient. What makes Chaabani’s tenure so successful is how often this club wins in matches where one goal is the margin of victory.

 

Key Players

 

Munir El Kajoui

 

 

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A veteran goalkeeper born in the Spanish exclave of Melilla within Morocco, the 36-year-old Moroccan international spent most of his career in Spain with stops in Turkiye and Saudi Arabia before making his first move to Moroccan club football in 2024 with RSB. Now the captain, Munir’s experience and shot stopping ability is far beyond the standard of goalkeeping in African club football and will be crucial in RSB’s hunt for recognition in the CAF Champions League.

 

Hamza El Moussaoui

A disciplined left back, El Moussaoui is another team leader who contributes to the positive atmosphere. He previously represented Morocco’s domestic-based national team at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), being named in the Team of the Tournament as the Atlas Lions won the competition. A reliable defender who picks his moments well when moving forward to provide service from the flanks.

 

Mounir Chouiar

 

The French-born attacker’s acquisition was unprecedented in Moroccan football after RSB spent over €1 million to bring him in from Bulgarian giants Ludogorets. The 26-year-old is making a strong early impression and brings explosiveness to an attack that is efficient but not overpowering. His transfer, along with other former European-based players like Ismael Kandouss and former Tunisian international Oussama Hadaddi, marks RSB’s ongoing campaign to be one of Africa’s elite clubs where success in the CAF Champions League is required.

Oussama Lamlioui

A goal scorer who made his name with Chabab Mohammedia, Lamlioui made his professional debut for TAS Casablanca in 2019 and also scored during the second division club’s shock run to win Morocco’s domestic cup, the Coupe du Trone. After leading all scorers for RSB during their historic 2024-25 season, Lamlioui went on to lead all scorers as Morocco won the African Nations Championship played in East Africa. 

 

Pyramids FC (EGY)

 

 

 

Introduction

The reigning CAF Champions League winners are looking to show that they are here to stay. A Cairo club that has attempted to spend its way to relevance since rebranding from its former identity of Al Assiouty Sport in 2018, it must be said that the approach has worked for Pyramids after initial struggles. Following years of coming up short and failing to draw fans from Cairo giants Al Ahly and Zamalek, Pyramids are no longer a joke and finally earned the continental trophy they long desired by capturing last season’s CAF Champions League.

 

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Led by coach Krunoslav Jurcic, Pyramids have become known for attempting to play an attractive, possession-based style. However, Jurcic proved that he and his team are capable of adapting to their opponents and altering their playing style to achieve results and overcome any type of opponent including the variety of opponents they face in the CAF Champions League.

 

Key Players

 

Fiston Mayele

 

The Congolese striker previously starred with Tanzania’s Young Africans before making a big money move to Pyramids, who were looking for a reliable striker. Mayele has lived up to expectations and then some, blossoming into a forward who has improved his ability on the ball to become more than just a poacher. Since joining Pyramids, Mayele has 49 goals in almost 100 appearances across all competitions for the club.

 

Mohamed Chibi

 

A remarkably consistent right back, the Moroccan joins Egyptian left back Mohamed Hamdy to make Pyramids consistently dangerous attacking from both flanks. The Raja Casablanca youth product had a nomadic beginning to his career but emerged as a top player in Morocco’s top flight Botola Pro with IR Tanger and Rabat’s AS FAR. Has led the Egyptian Premier League in assists the last two seasons.

 

Ahmed Samy

 

After spending most of his career improving the fortunes of midtable sides like Misr Lel Makkasa and Talea’a El Gaish, the now 33-year-old veteran got his chance on the big stage when Pyramids signed him ahead of the 2020-21 season. Last season, Samy led all defenders in the CAF Champions League with almost 7 interceptions per 90 minutes and was among the most dominant in the air.

 

Ewerton

With a strong defensive foundation, Pyramids searched for star power to add to their attack and landed on the Brazilian who spent over ten seasons in Czechia before moving for a €3 million fee. Pyramids has a strong group of domestic attackers but they need more from Ewerton, who has yet to impress early in his spell in Egypt and will need to be productive in the CAF Champions League.

 

Rivers United (NGA)

 

Introduction

The product of a merger between clubs Dolphins FC and Sharks FC in 2016, the Port Harcourt side have established themselves as one of the regular contenders in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL). After winning their first league title at the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign, the Pride of Rivers State has moved their objectives to the continental stage and reached the quarterfinals of the CAF Confederation Cup the following season.

 

The club is led by a chief coach Yemi Olanrewaju, who was mentored by the club’s former coach Finidi George before the young coach was assigned more and more control to take the reins himself. The duo have built a team with a strong defensive foundation but will need to find solutions for a weak attack that has lacked a cutting edge, making success in the CAF Champions League an unlikely prospect.

 

Players to Watch

 

Osagie Onisodumeya

 

The promising goalkeeper is a reliable presence for a team that depends on its strong defense. Initially a backup upon his arrival from Bayelsa United for the 2023-24 season, Onisodumeya established himself as the number one option for the following season and has held tightly onto his job even with the arrival of veteran John Noble. If Rivers are going to upset the North African giants in their group, this talented young keeper will have to be at his best.

 

Stephen Manyo

Another important member of the strong Rivers defense, Manyo is a robust central defender who has made well over 100 appearances in the Nigeria Premier Football League since debuting with Enyimba during the 2018-19 season. Played in two matches for Nigeria at the 2024 African Nations Championship in August.

 

Taiwo Abdulrafiu

An attack-minded left back who started all three of Nigeria’s games at the 2024 African Nations Championship, Abdulrafiu is another talented young player in the Rivers defense. Played with goalkeeper Onisodumeya at Bayelsa United, spending a season at Sunshine Stars before joining the keeper at Rivers.

 

The Forwards

Goals have come at a premium this season for Rivers, who have only scored 7 goals in 11 NPFL matches while their excellent defense has conceded 3 goals. Maclyn Biokpo and Timothy Zachariah are younger options signed from second tier clubs who have had one or two moments of promise while Friday Ubong and Aniekeme Okon are more experienced options. However, the reality is that the goal scoring situation for Rivers remains dire and continental fixtures will only expose this issue further.

 

Power Dynamos (ZAM)

 

Introduction

 

Based in Zambia’s football loving Copperbelt Province, Power Dynamos are a club that is owned by the Copperbelt Energy Corporation which is the inspiration behind their name. After an eleven-year barren spell, the Kitwe club jolted back to prominence by capturing the Zambia Super League at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season as well as last season’s crown.

 

 

Now a regular fixture at the top of the Super League table, this club has done excellently to keep their key players from last season while adding talented players to prepare for continental football. Led by experienced coach Oswald Mutapa, Zambia is back in the group stage of the CAF Champions League for the first time in several years and this club looks capable of surprising in a difficult group.

Key Players

 

Moses Shumah

 

The Kenyan striker was Dynamos’ major signing ahead of the current campaign and he has delivered timely goals during the course of qualification for the Champions League group stage. Top scorer at the conclusion of last season in Kenya’s FKF Premier League with Kakamega Homeboyz, the 23-year-old is looking to become known on the continental stage after a positive start to life in Zambia.

 

Prince Mumba

 

Midfield is a strength for Dynamos and captain Mumba is a key force in the middle of the park. Capable of operating in various roles in the center or out wide, Mumba has matured into a player who thrives at tidying things up deeper in the midfield and adapts his game to compliment his fellow midfield charges. Has represented the Zambia national team over 10 times, with one appearance at the African Nations Championship in August.

 

Lawrence Mulenga

The goalkeeper has enjoyed regular time as the Zambia national team’s number one option, starting all three matches at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Also the regular during Chipolopolo’s failed attempt to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Mulenga showed his abilities with a clutch save in the penalty shootout in Dynamos’ upset of Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas in CAF Champions League qualifying. 

 

Ayodeji Bamidele

The powerful Nigerian center back played every minute over four qualifying stage matches and has quickly established himself as a mandatory option for coach Mutapa since joining from NPFL side Shooting Stars. Spent his early professional career in Croatia with second tier side NK Varazdin before returning to Nigeria where he was a key player for Shooting Stars as well as Kwara United.

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Egypt
Morocco
Nigeria
Power Dynamos
Pyramids FC
Rivers United
RS Berkane
Zambia

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