Coach Chaabani wishes Berkane were not CAF Cup final favourites

"There are no winners in football before matches are played," the 43-year-old Tunisian told reporters ahead of the first leg in Berkane on Saturday. "Simba have a proud history in this competition and are deserving finalists. They have earned the right to compete for the title. "However, provided we put in the effort and prepare properly, there is no reason why we cannot bring the trophy to Morocco."

Chaabani, who won seven trophies as coach of Esperance in his homeland, is seeking a treble with Berkane in this campaign. The Orange Boys have already won the Moroccan league for the first time since being formed in 1938, have reached the last 16 in the national cup, and are seeking African glory. 

Berkane are appearing in a fifth Confederation Cup final in seven seasons. They triumphed in 2020 and 2022 and were runners-up in 2019 and 2024. The club from the citrus producing east of Morocco have a remarkable home record in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europe League with 42 victories, six draws and no losses.

Berkane did not concede in six home games en route to the final while putting five goals past Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria.

Intimidating stadium

They won 10 of 12 matches, drew one and suffered their only loss away to Constantine in a semi-final second leg having built a four-goal advantage at home. Oussama Lamlioui is their leading scorer in the African campaign with five goals and two west Africans - Paul Bassene from Senegal and Issoufou Dayo from Burkina Faso - have four each.

South Africa-born Simba coach Fadlu Davids attributes the incredible home record of Berkane partly to their ground, the 15,000-seat Municipal Stadium. "It is a small stadium, but a very intimidating one. The supporters are very close to the pitch," he told reporters. "I accept that we will have to do a lot of defending and have prepared thoroughly for such a situation."

Simba left Tanzania on Monday in a charter jet organised by the state president, Samia Suluhu Hassan. "Heartiest congratulations to Simba," she said, referring to the Dar es Salaam club reaching the Confederation Cup final for the first time. "You have brought great honour to our country and I wish you all the best. You have my full support."

While the majority of the Berkane starters are likely to be Moroccans, Simba will field a multi-national line-up. Goalkeeper Moussa Camara is Guinean, centre-back Chamou Karaboue and star forward Jean Charles Ahoua come from the Ivory Coast and winger Elie Mpanzu is Congolese.

Among the Tanzanians, winger Denis Kibu is the leading Simba scorer in Africa this season with four goals and his pace and ball control could trouble Berkane. The return match is set for the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar on May 25 and the aggregate winners will be two million dollars richer.