Rabia: CAF Super Cup clash will be tough

Luis Miquissone of Simba challenged by Rami Rabia of Al Ahly during the 2021 CAF Champions League football match between Al Ahly and Simba at WE Al-Ahly Stadium,Cairo,Egypt on 09 April 2021 ©/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Dec 20, 2021. 16:00

Al Ahly defender Rami Rabi has admitted that their CAF Super Cup clash against Raja Casablanca will be a tough encounter, but he is confident of success.

Ahly, the Champions League winners, will face Raja, the Confederation Cup winners, in the Super Cup at the Al Rayyan Stadium outside of Doha, Qatar on the evening of Wednesday 22 December.

The Egyptian giants are chasing a record-extending eighth Super Cup title, having won their seventh back in May of this year when they defeated another Moroccan side, RS Berkane, 2-0 at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

With the Egyptian Premier League having been put on hold during the recent FIFA Arab Cup, Ahly have had to play friendly matches against El-Gaish and Smouha to warm up for the continental showdown.

Nonetheless, Rabia believes the Red Devils will be ready for battle come Wednesday evening.

“It will be a difficult match because Raja is a strong team with a great history in African competitions. But we are very focused on the match,” he told Al Ahly media, as quoted by KingFut.

“The African Super is very important to the technical staff and players, especially in light of our quest to strengthen the team’s position at the continental level.

“We prepared well for the match after we played two friendly matches against Tala’a El-Gaish and Smouha, and we succeeded in preparing everyone as required. I hope luck will be on our side.

“Having the Al Ahly fans in the stands will motivate the players. The team seeks to win all the trophies in order to make them happy.”