The stage is set for the knockout phase of the 2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League following the quarter-final and semi-final draws conducted by the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) on Thursday, February 20.
The draw, hosted live from beIN SPORTS’ studios in Doha, Qatar, has produced four thrilling quarter-final encounters, featuring eight of Africa’s top clubs competing over two legs for a coveted spot in the semi-finals.
Exciting Quarter-Final Fixtures:
- Al Ahly SC (Egypt) vs Al Hilal SC (Sudan): Defending champions and 12-time titleholders Al Ahly face a determined Al Hilal side, who topped their group despite playing home matches in Mauritania due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
- Pyramids FC (Egypt) vs AS FAR (Morocco): Pyramids, boasting an attacking flair under Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić, take on AS FAR, who remained unbeaten in the group stage under Portuguese manager Alexandre Santos.
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) vs Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia): Former champions Sundowns, aiming to surpass the semi-final stage for the first time since their 2016 triumph, meet four-time winners Esperance, who recently lifted the Tunisian Super Cup under Romanian coach Laurențiu Reghecampf.
- MC Alger (Algeria) vs Orlando Pirates (South Africa): MC Alger, with the competition’s tightest defence, face Orlando Pirates, the 1995 champions looking to return to the semi-finals for the first time since 2013.
Semi-Final Roadmap:
- The winner of Mamelodi Sundowns vs Esperance will face the victor of Al Ahly vs Al Hilal.
- The winner of MC Alger vs Orlando Pirates will battle the winner of Pyramids FC vs AS FAR.
The quarter-finals will be played over two legs, with the first leg scheduled for April 1 and the return leg on April 8. The semi-finals will follow the same format, leading up to the highly anticipated final in June.
2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Quarter-Finals:
- QF 1: Al Ahly SC (EGY) vs Al Hilal SC (SDN)
- QF 2: Pyramids FC (EGY) vs AS FAR (MAR)
- QF 3: Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) vs Esperance Sportive de Tunis (TUN)
- QF 4: MC Alger (ALG) vs Orlando Pirates (RSA)
Semi-Final Matchups:
- SF 1: Winner of Mamelodi Sundowns/Esperance vs Winner of Al Ahly/Al Hilal
- SF 2: Winner of MC Alger/Orlando Pirates vs Winner of Pyramids FC/AS FAR
The race for Africa’s most prestigious club trophy is heating up, with thrilling encounters ahead as teams fight for a place in the final!
