Yes, the Confederation Cup might be the continent’s secondary club competition, but then the last eight line-up is enough proof of how much Africa’s big clubs now also want this cup.
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Al Ahly, Etoile du Sahel, Esperance de Tunis, Zamalek and Pirates have all been kings in the Champions League, while Stade Malien, AC Leopards and CS Sfaxien have all ruled in the Confederation Cup.
Thoughts of even trying to degrade this competition belong with little minds who don’t understand the challenges of the African safari. This is no Mickey Mouse competition!
There is also no doubt that the cast of teams this year is more intimidating than those in the Champions League, showing just how much more difficult it has been for teams that started out in this competition, unlike those that fell off from the top competition.
Only Pirates, Zamalek and Etoile du Sahel actually started out in the Confederation Cup.
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Surely, if Pirates go on and win this trophy then they will attest to that it has been more difficult than what they faced two years ago when they reached the 2013 Champions League Final.
Pirates have again been left to do the dirty work of reminding the continent that the PSL is not just an over-glorified league full of sissy clubs who undermine African competitions, but can also produce teams that can also fight in the mud, thorns or whatever conditions they come across.
While Bucs’ two biggest domestic rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns again failed in the Champions League this year, EzikaMagebhula are earning themselves and the PSL some much needed respect on the continent.
If truth be told the only way that the rest of Africa – especially up North – will respect the PSL is when our clubs start competing and even winning CAF competitions with the same regularity that clubs from Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco do, which is why I am clapping hands for Pirates for having reached the group stages.
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This is a stage for clubs whose appeal is beyond national or regional borders.
Kaizer Chiefs might be the most popular club within these borders and through most of the COSAFA region, but further up it is the skull and bones sign that is recognised, feared and appreciated more than any other PSL club.
Continental success is what builds you to being an internationally recognised brand.
When the group stages of the Confederation Cup start later on this month, the trips will be all too familiar for Bucs who will visit Dolisie in Congo-Brazzaville to face AC Leopards, the same team they met at a similar stage two years ago in the Champions League.
Then there will be that very long trip up north to Sfax for a date with CS Sfaxien, the same Tunisian club who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2006 Champions League.
Egyptian club Zamalek, who were in the same Champions’ League group as Pirates two years ago, will again be a familiar opponent this year in another taxing six-match group stages schedule running up to September.
Confed Cup Hub: All the news, fixtures, results and groups
By the way, though Pirates have never won the Confederation Cup, they have also never lost a match in this competition, having won five and drawn two of their previous seven matches stretching back to the single match that they played against Sable de Batie of Cameroon in the play-off round of the 2004 edition.
After winning 4-2 at home that year, Pirates were disqualified after they failed to arrive for their return leg.
Pirates should be embraced for doing what South African clubs should be doing every year – reaching the group stages of both the Champions League and the Confederation Cup.
South Africa is no longer in isolation and belongs in Africa and this is the continent where both the clubs and national teams should compete.
Up the Bucs!