Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker addressed the media ahead of the club’s CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final clash against Zamalek SC. Here are some of the key takeaways.

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…On preparations for the match against Zamalek

“It’s nice to be back home and hosting one of the giants of African football,” Barker said.

“I believe it’s a momentous occasion for us as a football club—it’s not an April Fool’s joke, we’re here!—and we are looking forward to it. We know the challenges that lie ahead.

“At the same time, I believe we have earned the right to be here and deserve this opportunity. We’ve had to come through the qualifying through our league first, the preliminary stages, and then the group stage after a difficult start so we can be proud of what we have achieved.

“There’s no reason, though, that we can’t have the belief that we can make it to the next round. Every time you make the next round your objective changes and we are now in the mix to get to a semi-final.

“We’ve prepared well and there is a lot of bubbliness and energy in the squad, both on and off the field.  There’s a lot of excitement, not only from the players and the coaching staff, but from the club as a whole to be hosting a club of Zamalek’s calibre.”

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…On playing in a match of this magnitude

“If we look back over the last couple of years, we’ve played and won the Carling Knockout final, and reached the MTN8 final, and that has shown that the club is progressing,” he added.

“…We’ve had some really big matches that we have had to play but there are always levels, and I think playing on the continent is a different level.

“To be playing a team like Zamalek, who are the defending champions, who have won not just the Confed Cup but the Champions League five times, it becomes a massive game for us. I don’t think it would be wrong to say that this is one of the biggest games that the club has been involved in.

“We’re privileged to be in this position, but at the same time, I keep reminding the players that we have earned the right to be on the same park as a team like Zamalek.

“A lot of people may believe we don’t have a chance, but our team is built on resilience and the ability to overcome challenges, and we are looking forward to this challenge.”

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…On the importance of taking a first-leg advantage

“I think we all know that traveling to Cairo and playing teams away from home in North Africa is never easy, it’s a massive challenge, ” Barker said.

“The biggest thing for us is that have to go there with either something to hold onto or something to fight for. The tie can’t be lost here… We have to do the best that we can to ensure that we can take something to Egypt to hold onto.”

…On dealing with Zamalek’s stand-out performers

“We’re aware of some of their key players—Zizo for example is probably one of the best players in the Egyptian league and is a prominent figure for their national team, and the same can be said of [Seifeddine] Jaziri, an international player of great quality.

“A team like Zamalek, with their ambitions, have quality in most positions, but they do have key players. We’ve done our analysis as well as we can and know their dangers, and those are two of their danger players so we have to be on high alert and hopefully deal with the ability they have.

“…It’s important that we are tactically aware and disciplined and deal with those threats.”

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The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final clash between Stellenbosch FC and Zamalek SC is set to kick-off at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on 15h00 on Wednesday, 2 April 2025. The match will be broadcast live on SuperSport PSL 202