MC Alger will lock horns with Wydad Casablanca in the African Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Stade du 5 Juliet on Friday.
Kick-off is at 21h00 CAT.
The Algerian giants progressed to the knockout stages after finishing second in Group D, eliminating one of the tournaments favorites Zamalek SC of Egypt.
MC Alger , who have lifted Champions League once in 1976, only won one of their three home matches at the group stages of the tournament.
The Peoples’ club currently linger in sixth place in the Algeria top-flight, nine points behind log leaders ES Setif .
MC Alger manager Nabil Neghiz believes that the team must focus on achieving a positive result at home, stressing the need to forget the current happenings in domestic league.
“A victory against the WAC would be the best rehabilitation,” the coach MCA said. “I can sense your disappointment, but you have to channel it and consider it an asset in the Maghreb derby on Friday.
“Forget the League Cup, because you are a few days away from a very important match in the Champions League, the most prestigious competition you can play in your life, and you have a chance of making it to the semifinals.”
The Algerians will be looking for their inspirational marksman Moez ben Cherifa to lead the team to a win at home.
Meanwhile, Wydad Casablanca, who are two-time champions, booked their place in the knockout phase after finishing at the top of Group B.
The Moroccan giants are enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run on the road in the competition.
They will look to Ayoub El Kaabi who has scored the most goals for the club in this season’s tournament having hit the back of the net five times.
The aggregate winner of the match between MC Alger and Wydad Casablanca will face either Kaizer Chiefs or Simba SC in the semifinals.
