Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller opens up on playing Mamelodi Sundowns in Caf Champions League semi-final - 'Team's performance wasn't the best'

Mamelodi Sundowns reached the Caf Champions League semi-final for the third consecutive time after beating Esperance.

The South African outfit will now play the defending champions Al Ahly, who got past Al Hilal Omdurman in the quarter-final.

It is going to be a massive match for the two teams, as explained by Marcel Koller, who handles the Egyptian side.

"We faced Sundowns in many matches, and our goal was to qualify for the final. Sundowns have the motivation to win, and Al Ahly is capable of winning the title. The team's performance wasn't the best,” he told El Rayada.

"All possibilities are open to Sundowns. The matches will be difficult, and we want to win the third consecutive title and achieve a historic achievement," Koller concluded.

It will be the seventh time the two teams will be meeting in the continental football. 

The latest meeting between the teams was in the 2022-23 Caf Champions League's Group B game where the Brazilians drew 2-2 away before winning 5-2 in Mzansi.

Last season, the sides were paired, once again, in the latter stages of the African Football League, whereby Sundowns managed a 1-0 aggregate win.

It explains why Koller is wary of the Masandawana threat.

Al Ahly are chasing a third consecutive Caf Champions League win, while Sundowns are targeting a second star.

It is the reason why Miguel Cardoso was appointed as the Brazilians' coach after the struggles of his predecessor Manqoba Mngqithi.