Ahead of their CAF Champions League Preliminary game against Nigeria's Remo Stars on Sunday, Ghanaian Premier League Champions Medeama SC’s Head of Media, Patrick Akoto believes his team have what it takes to face their opponents, Nigeriasoccernet.com can exclusively report.
Speaking exclusively in an interview with our correspondent, Patrick made it known that Medeama SC are in shape and well prepared to face the Nigerian side as they battle it out in the first leg of their CAF Champions League Preliminary round qualifier at the Cape Coast Stadium on Sunday.
"Well, we've been preparing. We know the enormity of the task ahead, playing against one of the promising teams of the African continent Remo Stars FC. We are very much aware of their quality, we are very much aware of their professional etiquette, we are very much aware of the investment that has been made in the club and so we are preparing assiduously here back home in Ghana," Patrick said.
"We've been engaging in series of low key friendly matches to fine-tune our preparation for the game. The coach have been trimming the rough edges of the team ahead of the clash on Sunday. So Preparations are on top notch, the players are getting ready, the esprit de corps in the team has improved tremendously," he added.
"We recognise the quality of Remo Stars and we do appreciate the level they want to take the club to and so we are very wary of the threat that they pose to us. We are playing in the CAF Champions League, the elite CAF Inter-club competition for the first time despite playing in the CAF Confederation Cup on two occasions in 2014 and 2016 and within the lifespan of this club in the last 10 years we have gained inches in the media here in Ghana and of-course our exploit here in Africa especially in the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016, so, the trajectory of this two team appear to be very same so we are looking forward to reenacting the eternal beautiful rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria."
On the game on Sunday...
"Its a much talked about match here in Ghana and so we look forward to welcoming our brothers from Nigeria to Cape Coast as we flag it out in the first leg. We are looking forward to a good encounter against Remo Stars and the people of Ghana rae very excited about it and I think since the draw came up, the major talking points and disagreement on social media has been about Ghana qualifying to the World Cup at the expense of Nigeria and Nigerians wanting their revenge through the Inter-club competition but at the end of the day, 11 players will be on the pitch.
"We made some few alteration to our teams because the season has ended, some players had to leave, some have to come in. So we are very confident about the team and we are hopeful that we will get the conditioning of the team right. We have been monitoring Remo Stars and their recent high profile competition that they are playing. We've been watching some of the games, very solid team, great team, they are composed and we are certain that the two team will sell-out an exciting game at the Cape Coast Stadium. We are hopeful for the best on Sunday."
"Unfortunately, I can't predict but all I can say is that I expect a good game, I expect a professionally run game, I expect the two team to give a good account of themselves and sell-out a fantastic game to a global audience and I am confident that we will be able to put together a top-notch organisation of this fantastic game which is coming up. We are confident and I am sure Remo Stars are also confident."
Both teams are debutant in the CAF Champions League and it definitely going to be a great game come 5pm on Sunday at the Cape Coast Stadium as the eternal football rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana continues, this time at the club level.
By Oluwayemi Omolagba