AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy believes playing ES Setif without their fans in the Caf Champions League group stages clash at the 8 May 1945 Stadium in Algiers on Saturday night will benefit his team.
Usuthu go into this crucial match sitting second in Group B with six points from three matches and looking to complete a double over their hosts after they beat them 1-0 in Durban during the first leg.
“Without the Algerian public, it becomes easier for us to play because we can play our own game,” said McCarthy.
“The pressure is not so much, even though Setif is a very good team and they will come with good quality football for us. When you have eleven against eleven, it is always better than when you play eleven against twelve in the form of the fanatical and passionate Algerian fans.
“They (fans) can bring the best out of a team, and them not having their fans in the stadium gives this match almost a level playing field because it is equal for everyone.”
This is the first time AmaZulu are playing in the Champions League and McCarthy said they are aiming at achieving something special.
“For my team, this is for the first time we are playing in this competition and we want to achieve something special. And if we beat Setif, we will almost have one foot in the qualification round already.
“That is our aim, we will fight for everything. We also know that they are not playing their own stadium. That makes things even more interesting because they don’t have the comfort of playing at their own stadium.”
McCarthy added that the standard of football in the Champions League is high and everyone at the club is learning.
“The organisation of the tournament is really great, the standard of the football is very high. When you play in the SA league, it is against teams that you know very well, but now you are up against teams like Setif with players you didn’t know before.
“They are very strong. They are a very good African team and it has been an eye opener for me, the rest of the technical team and the players to be playing at this level for the first time.
“When you see how good the Algerian national team is doing, you sort of get the understanding the reason why they are doing so well is because some of their players are consistently playing at this level.”
Benni McCarthy upbeat ahead of AmaZulu’s match against ES Setif in Algiers
Image: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy believes playing ES Setif without their fans in the Caf Champions League group stages clash at the 8 May 1945 Stadium in Algiers on Saturday night will benefit his team.
Usuthu go into this crucial match sitting second in Group B with six points from three matches and looking to complete a double over their hosts after they beat them 1-0 in Durban during the first leg.
“Without the Algerian public, it becomes easier for us to play because we can play our own game,” said McCarthy.
“The pressure is not so much, even though Setif is a very good team and they will come with good quality football for us. When you have eleven against eleven, it is always better than when you play eleven against twelve in the form of the fanatical and passionate Algerian fans.
“They (fans) can bring the best out of a team, and them not having their fans in the stadium gives this match almost a level playing field because it is equal for everyone.”
This is the first time AmaZulu are playing in the Champions League and McCarthy said they are aiming at achieving something special.
“For my team, this is for the first time we are playing in this competition and we want to achieve something special. And if we beat Setif, we will almost have one foot in the qualification round already.
“That is our aim, we will fight for everything. We also know that they are not playing their own stadium. That makes things even more interesting because they don’t have the comfort of playing at their own stadium.”
McCarthy added that the standard of football in the Champions League is high and everyone at the club is learning.
“The organisation of the tournament is really great, the standard of the football is very high. When you play in the SA league, it is against teams that you know very well, but now you are up against teams like Setif with players you didn’t know before.
“They are very strong. They are a very good African team and it has been an eye opener for me, the rest of the technical team and the players to be playing at this level for the first time.
“When you see how good the Algerian national team is doing, you sort of get the understanding the reason why they are doing so well is because some of their players are consistently playing at this level.”
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