Al-Ahly of Egypt appears to be an extraordinary candidate to reach the CAF Champions League final for the fourth time in a row when it hosts Tunisian Esperance in the second leg of the semi-final, while Moroccan Wydad is waiting for an arduous task to defend its title against its host Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

At the Cairo International Stadium, Al-Ahly enters the match against Esperance with a great advantage after winning the first leg with 3 goals in Rades, which put it on the verge of the final round, seeking the eleventh title in its history in the most important continental competition at the club level.

The Egyptian team has made strong performances recently, as it was crowned with the local Super Cup title at the expense of Pyramids, and leads the local league, as its South African striker Percy Tau, who scored two goals in the first leg, Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” and Hussein Al-Shahat, as well as Mali Aliou Diang and the Tunisian full back. Ali Maaloul and other stars of the "Pharaohs" team.

However, his Swiss coach, Marcel Koehler, who may miss some of his main cards due to injury, especially goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy, warned his players against complacency against the ancient Tunisian team, which witnessed a technical change after the resignation of its coach, Nabil Maaloul, after the great first-leg fall.

Kohler called on his players to focus closely and not be complacent or disrespectful to the opponent, because Al-Ahly did not guarantee qualification yet.

The "Sheikh of the Tunisian Clubs" will lead the temporary coach, Anas Al-Busaidi, at a difficult time, as the team will miss about ten players due to injury, most notably Ghilan Al-Shaalali, goalkeeper Moez Bin Sharifia, Algerian defender Riyad Bin Ayad and Libyan winger Hamdo Al-Huni, as well as the Tunisian youth team, Ghaith Al-Wahhabi, Malik. Al-Mahri, Zinedine Sassi and Raed Boushnibeh for their participation in the FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina.

Al-Busaidi will rely on those with experience, such as defender Muhammad bin Ali, Yassin Meriah, Algerian Muhammad Amin Togay, Muhammad Ali bin Ramadan, Moataz Zadam, Moroccan Saber Boukrine and Anis Al-Badri.

The head of the "Al-Makshakha" Hamdi Al-Madab expressed his full confidence in the young coach Al-Busaidi (41 years old). Numerous injuries to key players.

Wydad will face an arduous task in order to continue to retain its continental title, when it faces its difficult host Mamelodi Sundowns, who is looking for its second title after 2016, when they face off in Pretoria.

The two teams tied negatively in the first leg, as the Moroccan team failed to settle matters in front of its fans, and this time it will face a difficult team, especially when it plays between its supporters and at home.

The coach of the Belgian "Wydad of the Nation", Seven Vandenbroek, acknowledged the difficulty of his team's mission, stressing that he would work to correct many things in order to return to qualification.

Vandenbroek hinted at the possibility of the absence of his Senegalese team's top scorer, Pauly Sambo, after he was injured in the first leg, adding, "Things remain open to all possibilities. A negative tie is not a bad result, and the chances of the two teams remain equal."

He continued, "Many believe that the result of the match gives preference to Mamelodi, but the opposite is true. It seems to me a bomb result, and our chances still exist to reserve a seat for us in the final match."

The Wydad coach is fully aware that in order to reach the final, the Sundowns players must be prevented from reaching the net of goalkeeper Youssef Moti’, who is playing excellent matches in the absence of the injured league goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Al-Taknaouti, and therefore the weight will be on the defensive line, who will be absent from the Algerian Hussein Bin Ayada due to injury.

The coach will rely on the international fullbacks, Yahya Atiyatallah, Ayoub Al-Amoud, Amin Farhan, and the Democratic Congolese Arsene Zola, and the international midfielder, Yahya Gibran, is a defensive addition in the midfield.

And the most important weapon of quick counterattacks will be in the hands of Vandenbroek, with the presence of fast players such as Zouhair El Matraji, Mohamed Onajem and Hamid Haddad, in the event that Sambo is confirmed to be absent.

For his part, the coach of the South African team, Rolani Mokoena, saw that his team was under tremendous pressure in order to win the continental title.

He added, "I am lucky, and I understand the pressure placed on us, but I am very proud because I have the responsibility of leading a great team, so I have the luck that the players support me very much and this gives us more strength to be able to go far in the competition."

Mokoena has a homogeneous and strong squad, and the team has strong attacking elements, with the presence of Thabelo Morena, Namibian Peter Shaluleli and Themba Zwane, as well as star midfielder Teboho Mokoena and Uruguayan Gaston Sirino, whose participation increased mainly due to the suspension of New Mayema and Chilean Marcelo Ivan Allende, who were sent off in the first leg.