“North African teams are tactically always well organised,” Kaizer Chiefs captain Tefu Mashamaite looks ahead to Saturday’s CAF Champions League clash against Raja Casablanca. “We gained last year experience in this competition. It will be interesting and we are looking forward to the game.”

“Raja are one of the top teams on the African continent,” adds Amakhosi coach Stuart Baxter. “We expect a great match. The pitch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium is good. It will be a fascinating game of football.”

Baxter also spoke about the heavy schedule with Chiefs having to play a match every three to four days: “That’s why we often rotate the players. That way we will have a fresh team for the Raja match.”

“North African teams have had a long history of being dominant in the Champions League. However, as Chiefs, we prefer to play against them, as they are often well organised. We struggle against teams that operate in less organised and more spontaneous ways. Raja is a side that is coached well and it has a huge history.”

The Moroccan side already won the African Champions League three times.

“Every player wants to reach the highest possible,” Baxter concludes, while referring to how nice it would be if Chiefs can go far in the Champions League this year. “It will therefore be a very focussed team that will enter the field on Saturday.”

Amakhosi host Raja Casablanca in the first leg of the African Champions League’s first round at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon, March 14 (kick-off at 19:00).

Tickets are sold at Computicket and Shoprite/Checkers for R50.