Caf Champions League: Simba SC are the best team in Africa now - Dewji

Simba SC investor Mohamed Dewji has described the club as the best in Africa right now after qualifying for the Caf Champions League quarter-finals.

Simba qualified for the knockout stage from Group A after losing just a game and ended up topping the pool which also had Al Ahly, AS Vita and Al Merrikh. Dewji has described the Champions League as the 'Big Boys League' and said they will continue to fight hard.

"The journey is still long and tough," Dewji said on Facebook. "As Simba, we are still soldiering on in the Big Boys League."

Simba are second in the Champions League's power rankings that has been released after the group stages as Wydad Casablanca top the list. The Moroccan side is above Wekundu wa Msimbazi because of goal difference even though all teams finished the group games with four wins, a draw and a loss. 

Recently, Simba's spokesperson Haji Manara stated it was time that their rivals admit the Msimbazi giants are on a different level.

"It is the right time for rival clubs to accept Simba are the best team in Africa at the moment,” Manara said. "The rival clubs must also know we have done enough to build this team and have it reach where it is.

“We have done a lot of investment in quality signings, we have the best squad currently, they should also know we have a coach of high quality with a lot of experience when it comes to African football.

“Apart from that, Simba management is also not sleeping on their jobs, we are working day and night to make sure everything is available for the players and the team, we don’t sleep and we also know what the country and our fans need, and that is what we work for.”

On her part, the club's Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez revealed how much they have invested in the team.

"Last time I said we have employed a video analyst and we have software that can track the individual performances of players," Gonzalez said.
 
"We can also track and identify the weaknesses and the strengths of the players from the opponent's side and that is necessary in order to get what the coach wants.

"Football is now run by science and one wants it for planning, for example, do we need to switch Luis Miquissone and Clatous Chama depending on the strength of the opponents from the wings."

The draw for the quarter-finals and the semi-finals is expected to be conducted on April 30.