Moroccan football club RS Berkane has arrived in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. They are set to face Rivers United in a crucial CAF Champions League group stage encounter.

The visiting team, comprising players, coaches, and key officials, touched down on Wednesday night. They arrived at the Victor Attah International Airport.

RS Berkane is scheduled to hold a training session at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Thursday. This 5 pm session will allow them to acclimatize to the pitch. It comes ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated showdown.

Both clubs enter this fixture with contrasting recent results. Rivers United will be looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against Pyramids FC. This was in their opening group game. In contrast, Berkane began their campaign confidently. They secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Power Dynamos.

Meanwhile, Pyramids FC and Power Dynamos will contest the other Group A match.

Before their departure from Morocco, Head Coach Mouine Chaabani expressed optimism. He spoke about his team’s chances in Nigeria. He highlighted that their opening win had set a positive tone for their group stage campaign. Chaabani emphasized their desire to build on this strong start.

“We are travelling to Nigeria to face Rivers United,” Chaabani stated. “Our aim is to secure a positive result. We hope to achieve an away victory. We know it will not be an easy match. Our ultimate goal is to progress as far as possible. We want to do this in the CAF Champions League.”

Chaabani also provided an update on two players. They sustained minor concerns during their first group match.

“Murabit experienced some knee discomfort,” he explained. “This happened after about 15 minutes of play. However, it is not a serious injury. The same applies to Mehri; his injury is also not worrying. We will consult with the medical staff regarding both players.”

Berkane commenced their journey on Wednesday morning. They flew from Oujda Angad Airport. Their route included a connecting flight through Lagos before finally reaching Uyo. CAF has appointed Senegalese referee Issa Sy to officiate the match.