The Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 has released its opening matchweek fixtures, and Rulani Mokwena’s first competitive league match in charge of MC Algers will see him face a familiar foe – Sead Ramovic.
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Having recently been appointed as head coach of the reigning Algerian champions, Mokwena is set to renew his rivalry with Ramovic, who currently leads CR Belouizdad. The Stuttgart-born tactician will go head-to-head with the South African once again, this time on North African soil.
Their paths nearly crossed at the beginning of the previous season, when Mokwena was unveiled as Wydad Athletic Club’s new manager. At the time, speculation was rife that Ramovic might take charge of Raja Club Athletic. That move never materialised, with the former goalkeeper instead heading to Tanzania, before eventually landing in Algeria.
Now, the pair will meet on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Algerian top-flight season, scheduled for the final weekend of August.
The rivalry between the two intensified after Ramovic claimed his first win over Mokwena. Their animosity dates back to their days in the South Africa's premier football division. During a fiery Nedbank Cup press conference in early 2024, Ramovic publicly criticised Mokwena, accusing him of disrespecting his players.
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That season, Ramovic’s TS Galaxy had knocked Mokwena’s Mamelodi Sundowns out of the Carling Black Label Cup on penalties. Mokwena downplayed the result, citing the absence of key players — a comment that sparked a fierce rebuttal from Ramovic. The friction has lingered ever since.
