Mamelodi Sundowns will face Egyptian giants Al Ahly for the fourth time in five seasons after the CAF Champions League group draw was held in Cairo on Monday.
Former 10-time African champions Mamelodi Sundowns stunned Al-Ahly in the 2019 quarter-finals; However, Al-Ahly turned the tables by winning at the same stage in the next two editions.
The clubs were placed in Group B with Al Hilal of Sudan and Coton Sport of Cameroon, the Pretoria and Cairo-based teams appear likely to qualify for the knockout stage.
Al-Ahly dreamed of achieving an unprecedented third consecutive title, which was shattered this year at the hands of Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, who won one match in the final 2-0 at home.
Wydad beat Petro Luanda of Angola in the last semi-finals and the rivalry will be renewed in Group A, which includes JS Kabylie of Algeria and V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Of the four clubs in this division, only the Petro has lifted a trophy symbolizing the supremacy of African clubs.
Egypt's Zamalek, who won the tournament five times but not since 2002, is locked in a tough group in Group D with Tunisia's Esperance, Algeria's Belouizdad youth and Sudan's Merrikh.
Esperance was crowned African champion four times, Belouizdad reached the quarter-finals of the last two editions, and Merikh is an experienced international player.
Morocco's second challenger, Raja Casablanca, is another team that is eager to win the competition again as the three-time champions last won the trophy in 1999.
Raja is in Group C - arguably their weakest section- with Horoya of Guinea two-time quarter-finalists, improving Simba of Tanzania and group debutants Vipers of Uganda.
The six-matchday begins on February 10 and runs through April 1 with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP DRAW
Group A
Wydad Casablanca (MAR, holders), Petro Luanda (ANG), JS Kabylie (ALG), V Club (COD)
Group B
Al Ahly (EGY), Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA), Al Hilal (SUD), Coton Sport (CMR)
Group C
Raja Casablanca (MAR), Horoya (GUI), Simba (TAN), Vipers (UGA)
Group D
Esperance (TUN), Zamalek (EGY), Chabab Belouizdad (ALG), Al Merrikh (SUD)
GROUP SCHEDULE:
Matchday 1 (February 10-11)
Group A: Wydad Casablanca v V Club, Petro Luanda v JS Kabylie
Group B: Al Ahly v Coton Sport, Mamelodi Sundowns v Al Hilal
Group C: Raja Casablanca v Vipers, Horoya (GUI) v Simba
Group D: Esperance v Al Merrikh, Zamalek (EGY) v Chabab Belouizdad
Matchday 2 (February 17-18)
Group A: Kabylie v Wydad, V Club v Petro
Group B: Hilal v Ahly, Coton v Sundowns
Group C: Simba v Raja, Vipers v Horoya
Group D: Belouizdad v Esperance, Merrikh v Zamalek
Matchday 3 (February 24-25)
Group A: Wydad v Petro, V Club v Kabylie
Group B: Ahly v Sundowns, Coton v Hilal
Group C: Raja v Horoya, Vipers v Simba
Group D: Esperance v Zamalek, Merrikh v Belouizdad
Matchday 4 (March 7-8)
Group A: Petro v Wydad, Kabylie v V Club
Group B: Sundowns v Ahly, Hilal v Coton
Group C: Horoya v Raja, Simba v Vipers
Group D: Zamalek v Esperance, Belouizdad v Merrikh
Matchday 5 (March 17-18)
Group A: V Club v Wydad, Kabylie v Petro
Group B: Coton v Ahly, Hilal v Sundowns
Group C: Vipers v Raja, Simba v Horoya
Group D: Merrikh v Esperance, Belouizdad v Zamalek
Matchday 6 (March 31-April 1)
Group A: Wydad v Kabylie, Petro v V Club
Group B: Ahly v Hilal, Sundowns v Coton
Group C: Raja v Simba, Horoya v Vipers
Group D: Esperance v Belouizdad, Zamalek v Merrikh
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