It will be a rematch of sorts when Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Champions League, Remo Stars, start their campaign for a spot in the group stage against Moroccan side AS FAR.
The two teams met in the CAF Confederation Cup in September 2022 at the same stage, with the Moroccans progressing 2-1 on aggregate.
The Ikenne side put up a virtuoso performance in the first leg in Morocco, earning a 1-1 draw with Adams Olamilekan equalising for them after Diney had put the home side ahead.
In the return leg in Nigeria, Remo Stars succumbed to a lone goal defeat to exit the tournament.
Ogunmodede expected AS FAR pairing
Remo Stars coach Dan Ogunmodede described this as a learning curve for his team and said he was expecting to draw the Moroccan team when the draws were being conducted.
“Personally, I believe we are destined to meet AS FAR again. I remained glued to my screen from start to finish. You can guess we were both drawn last,” Ogunmodede said.
“I believe it is simply fate; we must accept it, and we have had familiar opponents in the competition. We met in the local league, then the higher league, the CAF Cup, and finally the Champions League. I think it's a difficult challenge,” he added.
Ijaball, as Ogunmodede is fondly called, also said his team would be better prepared this time and are a more experienced side from the last time the two teams met.
Remo Stars will be ready for AS FAR test
He insisted his team would do better this time around, even as he conceded that their opponents would be difficult to play as they have a new coach, and he has not seen them play under the new coach.
“The first time we met them, we learned a lot because it was our first time on the continent, and we were inexperienced,” he stated.
“Now that we're meeting them again, it's our third time, and whether anyone likes it or not, we're more experienced now. But the thing is, they're more difficult to play now because they just got a new coach, and it's difficult to know anything about them.
“You can't take that away from them because they're a bigger club than we are. It's a learning curve for us, and we're still learning and growing every day.
“This is a learning club, so we'll always learn, but there's no doubt that even if it's our third trip on the continent, we'll always be better than the first.”
Preparation already underway for CAF Champions League tie with AS FAR
Ogunmodede also allayed fears that his team wouldn’t be prepared for the game against AS FAR, insisting that despite the Nigeria Premier Football League finishing weeks ago, they have already lined up their programmes for the CAF Champions League and the return of the NPFL.
“Yes, as a team, we are preparing. We are a team that prioritises preparedness. We are preparing as much as we can to maximise our strength,” the coach said.
“We know we're up against a stronger opponent and challenge, so the only thing that can save us is how well we prepare, which is exactly what we've been doing.
“Since we resumed, we have worked tirelessly to prepare. We've been moving forward, and I believe and trust that everything will work out in the end.”
Remo Stars will start their campaign at home against the Moroccans on August 16, seeking to make the group stage for the first time in their history.
