Johannesburg: Moise Katumbi will anticipate some payback Sunday on his huge investment in Democratic Republic of Congo football club TP Mazembe when the 2015 CAF Champions League reaches a climax.
The son of a Congolese mother and Jewish father, the politician and business tycoon has transformed the team from copper mining hub Lubumbashi into an 'African All Stars' squad.
Mazembe won 2-1 at USM Alger of Algeria last Saturday in the first leg of the final with a starting line-up consisting of three Malians plus two stars each from DR Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia.
"Our aim is to give an opportunity to the best talent in Africa," 50-year-old Katumbi said ahead of the return match on an artificial pitch at the 18,000-seat Stade TP Mazembe.
"The major focus of the club this year was to win the CAF Champions League a fifth time."
"I am so happy in Lubumbashi because we are treated like royalty," explained Ghanaian midfielder Daniel Nii Adjei, who came off the bench in Algiers.
"The atmosphere is conducive for training and playing. Footballers are treated like professionals."
After winning impressively in Algiers, the 'Ravens' are expected to conquer Africa for the first time since 2010, when they crushed Esperance of Tunisia 6-1 overall.
Mazembe also won the premier African club football competition the previous year, and are the only sub-Saharan side to achieve the feat since 2004.
North African teams have dominated the CAF Champions League with eight of the last 10 title-holders coming from Egypt or Tunisia.
But expensively-assembled Mazembe have proven formidable rivals, reaching the semi-finals twice since lasting holding the trophy.
Craving success
No one at Mazembe craves success more than French coach Patrice Carteron, after a couple of CAF near-misses.
After resigning as Mali coach, he had to settle for a runners-up medal in the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup when CS Sfaxien won the 2013 final through a last-minute goal in DR Congo.
Last year, Mazembe were expected to overcome Entente Setif of Algeria in the Champions League semi-finals, but a couple of clangers by veteran goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba cost them dearly.
"USM are dangerous because they have nothing to lose," warned 45-year-old former Lyon and Saint-Etienne defender Carteron.
AFP
