Having been drawn against Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly for the second season in a row in the CAF Champions League, a chief at Sudanese giants Al Hilal has expressed his surprise at the group.
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The Sudan Premier League champions found out who their rivals on the African continent will be this season after the draw for the group stage of the 2022/23 CAF Champions League took place on Monday.
Coincidentally, Al Hilal was once again pitted against 10-time competition winners Al Ahly and Premier Soccer League champions Sundowns in Group B.
With all three teams having been drawn against each other in last season's competition, Ramy Kamal, a board member of the Sudanese outfit, has admitted his surprise at the outcome of the draw.
"Everyone here was a little bit surprised to be in the same group alongside Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns. However, this means that the teams know each other quite well," Kamal said while speaking to Egyptian channel Sada El Balad
"I believe each team in the group has an equal chance at progressing to the next round. How much effort each team will exert on the pitch will be the difference.
"We will play our home games at Al Hilal Stadium in Sudan, as it was the case last season. However, we haven't been contacted by Al Merrikh to host their games."
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Last season, it was the South African and Egyptian sides that finished first and second, respectively, in their group and progressed to the competition's knockout phase, while Al Hilal were knocked out along with their compatriots and rivals Al Merrikh.
With Florent Ibenge now at the Hilal helm, the Sudanese outfit will perhaps like their chances against Sundowns, Ahly and Coton Sport when the tournament resumes in February.
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