North African teams have ganged up against Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates ahead of the CAF Champions quarterfinals draw.
Pirates qualifying for the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013 has come during a season where the North African teams' dominance in the knockout stage is at its highest.
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Excluding Sundowns, all other teams that qualified for the next round are from the North of Africa, after Moroccan side FAR Rabat topped Group B ahead of The Brazilians.
Egyptian giants Ahly, chasing their third consecutive title, finished behind Bucs in Group C, while Sudanese outfit Al-Hilal and MC Alger of Algeria qualified as first and second respectively in Group A.
Qualified teams from Group D are Esperance of Tunisia and Egyptian side Pyramids FC.
The 2023/24 season was a big chance for a team from the West, Southern or Eastern Africa to win the Champions League for the first time since Masandawana did it in 2016, as there were only two teams from North Africa in the quarterfinals, Esperance and Al Ahly.
However, the same teams ended up meeting in the final that was won 1-0 by the Red Devils, as Sundowns, ASEC Mimosas, Petro de Luanda, TP Mazembe, Simba and Young Africans were knocked out.
At least for the past three campaigns, there have been five teams from North Africa in the quarterfinals, with Wydad Casablanca and Esperance sharing the titles with Al Ahly in the last eight years, since the Tshwane giants were crowned champions for the first time.
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Should Pirates and Sundowns meet in the quarterfinals, North Africa will be guaranteed a place in the final.
Should the Mzansi pair avoid each other, will also have to endure the same long trips to North Africa, while teams from that region will have the luxury of playing against each other and won't do much traveling ... at least those who are going to avoid Bucs and Downs.