Hadraf says FAR Rabat will ‘double efforts’ to win TotalEnergies CAF Champions League

FAR Rabat midfielder Abdel Fattah Hadraf says the Moroccan side must stay focused and avoid conceding if they are to overturn their first-leg defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns and win the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

The Moroccan club host the South African champions on Sunday, 24 May, at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat in the second leg of the final.

FAR Rabat lost the first leg 1-0 in Pretoria last week, but the narrow margin has kept their hopes alive as they return home in search of a historic continental triumph.

The club are chasing a first CAF Champions League title in four decades, making the match one of the most important nights in their recent history.

Hadraf said the players understand what is at stake and know they must manage the occasion with discipline and concentration.

“The only scenario in the second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final is to work hard not to concede a goal against Mamelodi Sundowns and to remain highly focused throughout the match,” Hadraf told CAFOnline.com exclusively.

FAR Rabat will face a Sundowns side with strong experience in African competition, but the Moroccan team believe the support of their home crowd can help them shift the momentum of the tie.

Hadraf said finals are often decided by small details and warned his team-mates that they cannot afford lapses at key moments.

“This is a final, and finals are known to be decided by small details that can allow you to win the title," the defender said.

The midfielder also highlighted the expected role of the fans, with thousands set to back FAR Rabat at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

“The fans are very important to us,” Hadraf said.

“They will be an extra motivation for us. They are the 12th player and will push us to win the continental title.”

For FAR Rabat, victory would not only end a long wait for continental success but also return one of Morocco’s historic clubs to the top of African football.

The players go into the match knowing they must turn ambition into performance against a Sundowns team that will try to protect their first-leg advantage.

Hadraf said the squad are united by the same objective and are ready to give more in pursuit of the trophy.

“Our dream is to win the title and everyone is waiting for us to do it,” he said.

“We will double our efforts to achieve it.”

FAR Rabat must win in front of their supporters to keep alive their hopes of lifting the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League trophy and bringing the continental crown back to Rabat after a long absence.