Champions League title hopefuls, Rangers International of Enugu and Rivers United will this weekend rub shoulders with the big guns as the continent’s premium, club competition enters its last-32 stage.
Rangers are away in Egypt to face Zamalek; while Rivers United host Al Merrikh of Sudan in Port Harcourt in the first of two-legged encounters.
This stage of the Champions League sees the four most successful clubs in African competitions enter the fray – and all are expected to build first-leg leads.
Record 19-time title winners Al Ahly of Egypt face South African league leaders Wits, who are playing in the elite African competition for the first time.
TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, second behind Ahly with 10 successes, meet unimpressive preliminary round winners CAPS United of Zimbabwe.
Zamalek of Egypt, winners of nine continental competitions and 2016 Champions League runners-up, tackle Enugu Rangers of Nigeria in an attractive match-up.
Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, the only club to win all five current and past Confederation of African Football competitions, also boast nine titles ahead of a clash with AS Tanda of the Ivory Coast.
There are a total of eight past Champions League winners in the round.
Esperance of Tunisia, V Club of DR Congo and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco complete the line-up of clubs who lifted the richest and most prized African trophy.
Another five challengers, Leopards of Congo Brazzaville, FUS Rabat of Morocco, Horoya of Guinea, Al Merrikh of Sudan and Rangers of Enugu have won other CAF titles.
