Al Ahly were denied a Champions League three-peat! Pitso Mosimane blames CAF and defends Senegal after Morocco AFCON implosion

The question of whether CAF has always been a neutral body in matters of football has been a never-ending debate, dividing opinion right in the middle.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal and the controversy around it put CAF under sharp scrutiny. What was meant to be a purely entertaining encounter turned into a dramatic battle, with the Lions of Teranga staging a 15-minute protest.

Now former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has waded into the debate and said he understands why Senegal protested and threatened a walkout.

"I have been in Pape Thiaw's [Senegal head coach] shoes. I have experienced that feeling where everything seems stacked against you. That happened in 2022, when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that Morocco would host the CAF Champions League final for the second year in a row," Mosimane wrote on News24.

"During that period, CAF moved from staging finals in two-legged home-and-away ties to a one-off match played at a neutral venue. That's how we, as Al-Ahly, ended up playing in the final against Kaizer Chiefs in Morocco in 2021," he added.

"That year, the venue was announced well in advance. But the following year, the same venue in Casablanca was announced on 9 May for the final that was played on the 30th, just three weeks later.

"CAF made the decision to once again take the final to Casablanca just after Wydad Casablanca had beaten Petro de Luanda 3-1 in Angola in the first leg of the semi-finals on 7 May.

"We had just beaten ES Setif in Cairo 4-0 in our first leg, which was played the same day. We raised objections about the decision regarding Al-Ahly because the final was going to be played at Wydad's stadium. I asked myself, 'kanti how does this neutral venue work?' We were in Casablanca to play Chiefs the year before, and we were going to go back there to play a team from Morocco at their stadium?

"The stadium was 90% Wydad. We just had 10%-20% of the crowd. We struggled to get tickets, and Al-Ahly even complained about it."

The Premier Soccer League title winner with Mamelodi Sundowns also said Senegal faced similar challenges in Morocco as they did years ago.

"Yes, there were many things that happened in the build-up that disadvantaged Senegal, from the ticket allocation to how they got to Rabat and the training base they were given at the complex that houses the Moroccan national team," the former Bafana Bafana tactician added.

"If you are going to be playing against Kaizer Chiefs, why would you train at the Chiefs Village? Because that complex is like that. I have been there.

"There were reports that CAF eventually changed Senegal's training base. But those little things build up and result in an explosion of emotions. That still doesn't justify what Senegal did. Walking out of the match will never be a decision that is right. Hence, they corrected it by returning to the pitch.

"That's why we must applaud Sadio Mane for the leadership he showed to call his teammates back to the pitch. Everybody makes mistakes. But you must also ask yourself, why are they walking out? What made them walk out?"

Eventually, the Lions of Teranga weathered the storm and won their second AFCON trophy as Morocco were left shaken after going so close to becoming continental champions again.

As tension rose, Sadio Mane talked sense to his teammates, and they eventually resumed play. Brahim Diaz missed what would have been a fate-defining penalty, handing Senegal another fighting chance.

"That's why we must applaud Sadio Mane for the leadership he showed to call his teammates back to the pitch," Mosimane said.

"Everybody makes mistakes. But you must also ask yourself, why are they walking out? What made them walk out?"