Vitesse FC will begin their first-ever African campaign against Real de Bamako on Sunday, with the Burkina Faso club targeting victory in the opening leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary-round tie.
The match will be played at the Stade du 4-Aout in Ouagadougou, where Vitesse FC held their pre-match news conference on Saturday. Coach Ousmane Coulibaly and captain Christian Sanou represented the club as it outlined its ambitions ahead of the first-round encounter.
For Vitesse FC, the fixture marks a significant moment in the club’s history. Their debut in continental competition has created a sense of expectation, but Coulibaly said his players were approaching the challenge with confidence and composure.
The Burkinabe coach made it clear that his side’s priority was to establish an advantage on home soil.
« Nous allons jouer sereinement et l’objectif, c’est de gagner coute que coute », a indique le technicien burkinabe, qui voit cette rencontre comme une veritable occasion de lancer l’aventure continentale du club.
Coulibaly views the match as an opportunity to give Vitesse FC’s African adventure the strongest possible beginning. The first leg in Ouagadougou will be followed by the return fixture in Bamako, where the Burkinabe club will aim to protect any advantage secured at home.
Sanou echoed his manager’s confidence during the news conference. The Vitesse FC captain said the squad was in good condition and that the atmosphere within the team remained positive as the players prepared for the occasion.
The defender also underlined the importance of winning in Ouagadougou before travelling to Mali. Vitesse FC’s stated aim is to take a favourable result to Bamako and put themselves in a strong position to progress beyond the preliminary round.
The club has also called on supporters in Burkina Faso to attend the match in large numbers at the Stade du 4-Aout. The players and coaching staff hope the home crowd will provide encouragement during what will be Vitesse FC’s first experience of African club competition.
The fixture therefore carries importance beyond the result alone, as Vitesse FC prepare to make their continental debut in front of their own supporters. The club’s message from Saturday’s media event was one of belief, with both the coaching staff and the players presenting the tie as a chance to begin their campaign positively.
Representatives of Real de Bamako did not attend the pre-match news conference. Despite their absence, preparations for Sunday’s first-leg meeting continued, with Vitesse FC focused on the task of taking control of the tie before the return match in Bamako.