CAF Champions League Starting XI: Wydad Casablanca v Kaizer Chiefs 19 June 2021

Teams: Wydad Casablanca v Kaizer Chiefs

Date: 19 June 2021

Venue: Stade Mohamed V

Kaizer Chiefs will be hoping to make a good start in the CAF Champions League semi-final first-leg when they visit Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca on Saturday evening.

The match will get underway at 21h00 (SA time).

Chiefs will be competing for the first time in the semi-finals after a nail-biting 4-3 aggregate win over Tanzanian side Simba in the quarter-finals.

Amakhosi have made coaching changes since then, after parting ways with Gavin Hunt, who got them to this stage and have replaced him with Stuart Baxter, who returned to the club for his second spell, although he won't be on the bench due to work permit issues.

The Glamour Boys have confirmed that assistant coaches Arthur Zwane and Dillion Sheppard will be in charge for the game while Lebogang Manyama and Ramahlwe Mphahlele have also been ruled out of the match due to injuries.

View the players expected to be at Chiefs for the 2021/22 season…    

Sibusiso Mabiliso is understood to have agreed a deal in principle with Chiefs

Chiefs signed Brandon Petersen last year, but could not register him due to the FIFA ban

Jardel Nazaré is has had a medical at Naturena

Sifiso Hlanti was also signed last year, but could not be registered

Kgaogelo Sekota is thought to have been offered a three-year deal at Chiefs

Phathutshedzo Nange went to Stellenbosch FC on a gentlemen's agreement with Chiefs

Chiefs tabled an offer for Ruzaigh Gamildien a few months ago

Chiefs were also in advanced talks to try lure Njabulo Ngcobo to the club next season

On the other hand, Wydad boast a vast experience, having won this competition twice and got to this stage after edging Algerian side MC Alger 2-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

Whereas the 2020/21 DStv Premiership season came to an end two weeks ago, the last time Chiefs were in action, the Botola Pro is reaching its climax, with Wydad topping the table by three points after last playing on Wednesday, where they were held to a goalless draw by Renaissance Zemamra and are left with eight rounds of matches.

Amakhosi and Wydad emerged from the same group into the knockout stages, with Faouzi Benzarti's charges hammering the Soweto giants 4-0 in the first meeting at a neutral venue in Burkina Faso beofore Chiefs won the reverse fixture 1-0 at FNB Stadium.

Chiefs: Bvuma, Frosler, Sasman, Mathoho, Ngezana, Cardoso, Parker, Katsande, Blom, Nurkovic, Castro.

Subs: Akpeyi, Baccus, Zulu, Matsheke, Kambole, Akumu, Ngcobo, Mashiane, Moleko.

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