The Champions League contenders are:
USMA Alger (Algeria)
Recently crowned domestic champions for a second successive year,
USM Alger are seeking to become the first Algerian side since 1990 to
win the African title. A disappointing showing at the recent Arab Club
Championship in Cairo cost coach Abdelhakim Ait Djoudi his job and he
was replaced this week by Mourad Abdelwahab when attempts to bring in
a coach from France prove too expensive for the club. Their ambitions
will also be hampered by the sale of leading goal scorer Issaad
Bourahli to Entente Setif in the off-season.
Participation (twice): 1997, 2003
Record: P-14, W-8, D-3, L-3, GF-27, GA-13
FOUNDATION YEAR: 1937
ADDRESS: 12, Avenue du Commandant Abder Rahmane
Mira, Bab El Oued, Alger
TEL: +213-21-951353
FAX & TEL: +213-21-966687 / +213-21-951520
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Allik Said
STADIUM: Stade 17 Juin, Constantine
CAPACITY: 50,000
TROPHIES: Champions of Algeria (4 times ) (1963, 1996, 2002, 2003)
Local cup champions (5 times) (1981, 1988, 1997, 1999, 2001)
AS Aviação (Angola)
The airline club are competing in the league stage of the Champions
League for the first time after their upset defeat of Ghana's Hearts
of Oak, the 2000 winners, in the second round in May. They won their
first post-independence title last year and ended a 34-year drought,
breaking the traditional dominance of the two Luanda clubs, Petro
Atletico and Primeiro Agosto. AS Aviacao have threatened to win the
Girabola in Angola for several years, the groundwork for their current
success laid under the tutelage of the Portuguese technician
Bernardino Pedroto.
Participation in Champions league/Champions Cup (once): 2003
Record: P-4, W-2, L-2, GF-6, GA-4
FOUNDATION DATE: April 1st, 1953
ADDRESS: 21, de Janeiro st., Luanda
international airport
FAX & TEL: +224-2-327-495
PRESIDENT OF THE
CLUB: Joao Alves Andrade
STADIUM: Cidadela Desportiva Stadium
CAPACITY: 45,000
TROPHIES: Champions of Angola (5
times) (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 2003) Local cup champions (once)
(1996) Angola super cup champions (once) (2003)
Canon Yaounde (Cameroon)
A run-down stadium in Yaounde has been closed for renovations,
forcing Canon to play their home matches in the Champions League at
Douala. It has been more than a decade since Canon last played in
Africa's leading club competition but in their heyday Canon were
continental champions three times, winning in 1971, 1978 and 1980. One
of the stars of that era, World Cup defender Theophile Abega, is now
the club president and Pierre Ndjili coaches the side. Recently Canon
midfielder Parfait Ngon Adjam was drafted into Cameroon's squad for
the Confederations Cup, a rare feat for a locally-based player.
Participation (10 times): 1971, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986,
1987, 1992, 2003
Record: P-63, W-33, D-14, L-16, GF-104, GA-67
FOUNDATION DATE: November 9th, 1930
ADDRESS: BP 13789 Yaounde
TEL: +237-223-9567 / +237-773-5501
FAX: +237-223-7216
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Abega
Theophile
STADIUM: Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, Yaounde, or Stade de La
Reunification de Douala
CAPACITY: 50,000 and 35,000 respectively
TROPHIES: Champions of Cameroon (12 times)
(1970, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992,
2002 ) Local cup champions (11 times) (1967, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977,
1978, 1983, 1986, 1993, 1995, 1999)
Ismailia (Egypt)
A rare chance for the side from the city some 100km south of Cairo
to shine in a spotlight normally dominated by capital clubs Al Ahli
and Zamalek. Ironically, Ismailia were the first Egyptian side to win
a continental title, taking the old Champions Cup in 1969, but there
has been little in the way of silverware since. Participation in this
year's Champions League is on the back of their Egyptian league
triumph in May last year, engineered by coach Mohsen Salah and the
midfielder Mohamed Barakat -- both of whom have since departed the
club. German Theo Buckner, who previously worked in Lebanon, has been
brought back to Egypt to handle this campaign.
Participation (eight times): 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1992,
1995, 2003
Record: P-44, W-25, D-13, L-6, GF-76, GA-36
FOUNDATION DATE: 1924
ADDRESS: Reda St., Ismailia, P.O. BOX: 68
TEL: +20-643-37896
FAX: +20-643-37897
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Ismail Osman
STADIUM: Ismailia Stadium
CAPACITY: 20,000
TROPHIES:
Champions of Egypt (3 times) (1967, 1991, 2002) Local cup champions (2
times) (1997, 2000)
Simba (Tanzania)
The Dar-es-Salaam club pulled off a massive upset by eliminating
defending champions Zamalek of Egypt in the second round in May,
winning through on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They also needed
penalties to get past South African champions Santos in the first
round and are the only club in the last eight who came go through the
preliminary round at the start of the year. A row with coach James
Siang'a has been settled and the former Kenyan international
goalkeeper is back at the helm, but Simba will be the underdogs in all
the matches they play.
Participation (nine times): 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1994,
1995, 2002, 2003
Record: P-42, W-19, D-8, L-15, GF-46, GA-38
FOUNDATION DATE: 1936
ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: 15318 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
TEL: +255-222-122155
FAX: +255-222-138002
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Kassim
Dewji
STADIUM: National Stadium
CAPACITY: 20,000
TROPHIES: Champions of Tanzania (3 times) (1994, 2001, 2002) Local cup
champions (2 times) (1996, 2001)
Espérance (Tunisia)
Champions in 1994, Espérance have played more matches than any
other side in the Champions League since its introduction seven years
ago but have not won the trophy since the introduction of the league
competition in 1997. Twice they have been runners-up but last year
failed to make the semi-final stage, which led to the sacking of Swiss
coach Michel Decastel. Now coached by Youssef Zouaoui, the ambitious
club will again be among the pre-tournament favourites and have spent
two weeks preparing in Charmey, Switzerland ahead of their opening
match in group B.
Participation (12 times): 1971, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995,
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Record: P-85, W-46, D-22, L-17, GF-154, GA-71
FOUNDATION DATE: Jan 15th, 1919
ADDRESS: Complex Sportif Hanai Belichja-Tunis
TEL: +216-7183-2099
FAX: +216-7183-4174
PRESIDENT OF THE
CLUB: Slim Chiboub
STADIUM: El Menzah, Zouiten & Radej
CAPACITY:
39,000, 15,000 & 60,000 respectively
TROPHIES:
Champions of Tunisia (17 times) (1950, 1960, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1980,
1985, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Local cup champions (9 times) (1957, 1966, 1976, 1980, 1986, 1989,
1989, 1991, 1997, 1999)
Enyimba (Nigeria)
This Ambitious club, based at Aba near Port Harcourt, are seeking
to become the first side from Nigeria to win the top club prize in
African football. Last year they failed to reach the league phase of
the competition but were emphatic in their progress this time round
with a 4-0 aggregate thumping of Senegalese champions Jeanne d'Arc in
the second round in May. The team is coached by Kadiri Ikhana, a
former Nigerian international, and the squad features current first
choice national team goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who played against
England at last year's World Cup finals in Japan.
Participation (twice): 2002, 2003
Record: P-8, W-5, D-1, L-2, GF-21, GA-10
FOUNDATION: NOVEMBER 1976
ADDRESS: 158 Cameroon Road, Aba, Abia State
Nigeria
TEL: +234-822-31199
FAX: +234-822-30085
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Felix Anyansi Agwu
STADIUM: Enyimba International Football
Stadium
CAPACITY: 25,000
TROPHIES: Champions of Nigeria (2
times) (2001 & 2002)
ASEC Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
ASEC have only missed two of the six previous editions of the
Champions League and won the title in 1998. The Ivorian club have
earned international renown in recent years for their academy that has
already produced more than 20 footballers who have gone on to play for
foreign clubs. Last year, ASEC's relatively youthful side reached the
semi-finals and they will again harbour realistic ambitions of making
the top four. ASEC warmed up for their opening group B match against
Ismailia of Egypt on Saturday by winning the Ivorian Cup last weekend
over their arch rivals Africa Sports.
Participation (15 times): 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1991, 1992,
1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003
Record: P-111, W-62, D-21, L-28, GF-188, GA-104
FOUNDATION: 1948
ADDRESS: Lecoeur Avenue Chardy, 01 BP 2172 Abidjan 01
TEL: +225-20227/57
FAX: +225-202-11438
Email: asecmimosas@aviso.ci
INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.asec.ci
PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB: Maitre Roger
Ouegnin
STADIUM: Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium
CAPACITY: 36,000
TROPHIES: Champions of Ivory Coast (18 times) (1963, 1970, 1972, 1973,
1974, 1975, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000,
2002) Local cup champions (8 times) 1975,
1980,1983,1990,1995,1996,1998,1999
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