‘We’ll fight to the end’: Berkane captain Mhamdi sets defiant tone after heavyweight Group A draw
RS Berkane captain Munir Mhamdi says the club will lean on unity, momentum and a city-wide surge of pride as they head into a demanding TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group A campaign.
The Morocco-based side approach the section with optimism, but with clear-eyed respect for the calibre of opposition and the grind of a six-match schedule.
Mhamdi’s message is simple: Berkane feel ready, and the bar is set at honouring the shirt and their supporters with performances worthy of the club’s rise.
The skipper underlined the emotion around qualification before turning to the task ahead. “We are extremely happy because the entire city of Berkane had been eagerly waiting for this moment,” he said.
“Reaching the group stage always represents a significant milestone for any club aspiring to shine on the continental level.”
Group A is compelling. It pits Berkane against defending African champions Pyramids FC, Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos—and includes a high-profile reunion with Pyramids after the Egyptians edged the recent CAF Super Cup 1-0.
Two matchdays will be played in November before the competition pauses for the AFCON and resumes in late January, with the top two advancing to the quarter-finals.
Mhamdi framed that challenge as a collective mission.
“We are well aware we will be facing some of the best teams in Africa, and we know the competition will be tough, but we enter this stage with great optimism and positivity,” he said.
He added that belief inside the camp is anchored in togetherness. “We have full confidence in our abilities and in the strength of our group—from the players and technical staff to our loyal supporters who never stop backing us at every step.”
The captain also promised intensity throughout the campaign. “We will fight with everything we have until the very end to achieve our goals, honour the club’s name, and bring joy to our fans and the entire city of Berkane.
"God willing, we will give our very best to deliver performances worthy of the team’s history and the ambitions of its supporters.”
The winners of the 2025/26 Champions League will receive USD 4million in prize money, with the runners-up earning USD 2million—figures that sharpen the stakes in an already stacked field featuring seven former African champions and the current title-holders.
Group A fixtures (all local dates)
MD1: 21–23 Nov 2025 – RS Berkane v Power Dynamos; Pyramids FC v Rivers United
MD2: 28–30 Nov 2025 – Rivers United v RS Berkane; Power Dynamos v Pyramids FC
MD3: 23–25 Jan 2026 – Power Dynamos v Rivers United; RS Berkane v Pyramids FC
MD4: 30 Jan–1 Feb 2026 – Rivers United v Power Dynamos; Pyramids FC v RS Berkane
MD5: 6–8 Feb 2026 – Power Dynamos v RS Berkane; Rivers United v Pyramids FC
MD6: 13–15 Feb 2026 – RS Berkane v Rivers United; Pyramids FC v Power Dynamos