Champions League: Kaizer Chiefs-Al Ahly, Pitso Mosimane's big night?
The South African Pitso Mosimane.
AFP - KARIM JAAFAR
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
4 min
Pitso Mosimane intends to offer a tenth title of winner in the African Champions League (C1) to Al Ahly, this July 17, 2021 in Casablanca.
Faced with his compatriots from the Kaizer Chiefs, in the final of the C1, the South African coach can thus enter a little more into the legend of the largest club on the continent.
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“
I arrived like a king, I'm leaving like a legend.
This sentence is signed by Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovich in 2016, when he left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
One day, it may suit Pitso Mosimane, welcomed like a star at Al Ahly in September 2020 and who is writing more of the history of Africa's biggest club every day.
In the space of a few months, the South African has indeed won the ninth Champions League (C1) of the Egyptian team, the 2021 African Super Cup and leads the Cairo-based team to 3rd place in the last Club World Cup.
Enough to maintain a “Pitsomania” that has not been denied for nine months.
Facing the Kaizer Chiefs, Al Ahly aims for the "decima"
The former midfielder of the South African team can squarely enter the legend of the Red Devils, this July 17, 2021 in Casablanca.
Facing the Kaizer Chiefs, a South African club he has faced on numerous occasions as a player and coach, Pitso Mosimane can thus offer the tenth Champions League in the history of Al Ahly.
A “decima” that Cairo fans are eagerly awaiting.
"
God willing, Pitso, you are going to bring us the tenth and you will go to the Club World Cup where you will teach Chelsea [
the winner of the European Champions League, editor's note]
a lesson
, so that we will also win the World Cup
”, ignites a fan of Al Ahly on the Facebook page of the club.
"
This man has ideas, a tactic, he understands football, respects his opponents, works hard to get what he wants and doesn't take football for business
," enthuses another.
This man is a prince of coaching
”.
A duel of ex-breeders of South Africa
To give back to Al Ahly supporters all the love they give him, Pitso Mosimane will have to be a better strategist than Britain's Stuart Baxter, among other things.
The coach of the Kaizer Chiefs and that of the Egyptians know each other well, having faced each other several times in the South African league.
They were also both coaches for the South African team: Mosimane from 2010 to 2012 and Baxter in 2004-2005 then from 2017 to 2019.
“
Either I want to give the gold to Baxter or I want to keep it.
And I think you know the answer
”, laughed Mosimane, when he was questioned by the Association of South African Football Journalists (Safja) on his rivalry with his counterpart.
A cleaver match?
It must be said that Pitso Mosimane may be playing a large part of his future in Egypt against the Kaizer Chiefs.
Because in the Egyptian Championship, Al Ahly is ten points behind the leader and great rival Zamalek.
The Red Devils are admittedly four games behind the White Knights.
But the former coach of Mamelodi Sundowns - a club with which he also won the Champions League - has no illusions.
“
Here, if you don't win the Champions League and you don't win the championship, you can immediately look elsewhere.
This is why I am on the razor's
edge, ”he says to the Safja.
Will Pitso Mosimane get closer to the record of victories in the Champions League held by a coach, the Portuguese Manuel José (4 with Al Ahly), or the exit?
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