sportskeeda
RS Berkane’s head coach Moine Chaâbani playfully offered a lighthearted jab at Wydad Casablanca’s coach Rulani Mokwena, referring to him as “famous” during a pre-match media briefing in Durban.
Chaâbani vaguely extended his best wishes to Mokwena as the Moroccan powerhouses strive to regain their footing in the Botola League.
Taking charge of Wydad in the off-season, Mokwena is currently facing challenges, with his team positioned fifth in the league. This season, they have suffered four defeats, including one against Chaâbani’s Berkane in October.
“Of course, he will be a competitor, just like he was last year,” Chaâbani noted, speaking through a translator at Moses Mabhida Stadium after Berkane’s 3-1 victory over Stellenbosch in the CAF Confederation Cup. “During my time at Esperance, I frequently faced Mokwena, having known him from his role as an assistant coach at Mamelodi Sundowns.”
Chaâbani, a two-time winner of the CAF Champions League with Esperance and a finalist in last year’s Confederation Cup, concluded the press conference with a cryptic “All the best to him,” which sparked laughter among the audience.
Wydad’s disappointing performance last season, which led to their failure to qualify for this year’s Champions League and the knockout rounds last year, resulted in Mokwena’s hiring. The club is now focused on achieving a top-four finish to return to CAF club competitions.
In contrast, Berkane currently tops the Botola League with 27 points from 12 matches, leading Wydad by eight points. Chaâbani expressed the team’s goal to either clinch the league title or secure second place to qualify for the Champions League.
“Last season, Raja and FAR Rabat made it extremely challenging for us to qualify,” said Chaâbani, who hails from Tunisia. “They took the two spots for Champions League qualification, which left us in third place and allowed us to enter the CAF Confederation Cup. This year, our aim is to finish first or at least second for Champions League qualification.”
Berkane, victorious over Pirates in the 2022 Confed Cup final via penalties, strengthened their lead in Confed Cup Group B with six points from two matches after they overcame Stellenbosch 3-1 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday. Stellenbosch, led by Steve Barker, currently resides at the bottom of the group with no points.
Berkane will host Stade Malien Bamako in their next Confed Cup group stage clash at Stade Municipal de Berkane on Sunday at 21:00.
