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CAF Champions League

Ahead of Caf Champions League clash: Crisis in Akwa United’s opponents’ camp

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BY BASSEY IBIATISUHO

Serbian Zoran Manojlovic, Coach of Algerian Ligue Champions CR Belouizdad has resigned with less than two weeks before the CAF Champions League preliminary match against the Nigerian Champions, Akwa United at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.

Manojlovic last week guided the team to win their second ligue title in a row and eighth in total and his departure alongside his assistant, Karim Sebai is a big blow to the Chabab who also lost their star player Amir Sayoud who according to reports are all heading to Saudi team Al-Taee FC.

According to the club’s General Manager, Hocine Yahi, Spanish coach Juan Garrido, who had led several African clubs in the past including Al Ahly, Raja, ES Sahel, WAC and Tunisian coach Mouine Chaâbani have been contacted for possible replacement before the CAF Champions League clash in Uyo.

Meanwhile, the team has officially opened its training camp at the 20 August stadium in Belouizdad, Algiers ahead of the trip to Uyo as a tweet on the club’s official twitter handle reads “Our first team players have returned to training this morning, as we prepare to face Nigerian side Akwa United  in the CAF Champions League.”

The team is expected to arrive Uyo on a chartered flight on Thursday September 9 for the first leg, scheduled for September 12 to be officiated by a trio of Ivorian referees, led by Clément Franklin Kpan, while the return match which will take place a week later on September 19 at 9 p.m. at the stadium Omar Hamadi of Bologhine, and will be led by Libyan referees, led by game director Chihoub Abd El Bassit.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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