Johannesburg, Thursday @PeopleSport11
The CAF Champions League semi-finals this weekend will feature an all-star cast of the last four winners, TP Mazembe, Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad Casablanca and Esperance.
Wydad face Sundowns in Rabat on Friday, Esperance meet Mazembe in Rades the following day and both second legs are scheduled for next Saturday.
It is the first time since the premier African club competition debuted 55 years ago that the penultimate phase has featured the last four champions.
Trophy-holders Esperance of Tunisia are on a five match Champions League winning streak, while Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo have gone six games unbeaten.
Title decider
Wydad of Morocco have been inconsistent, failing to win successive CAF matches even once while Sundowns from South Africa won two and lost two of their last four outings.
Should Sundowns and Mazembe qualify, it will be the first title decider since 2009 not to feature at least one north African club.
Wydad vs Sundowns
This will be the fourth tie between the clubs in three seasons with Wydad winning the three matches in Morocco and losing twice and drawing once in South Africa.
All five victories have been by one-goal margins with a solitary goal settling four of the clashes between 2016 champions Sundowns and successors Wydad.
Esperance vs Mazembe
This showdown between clubs who have won eight Champions League finals between them is a rematch of a 2012 semi-final, which was decided in favour of Esperance by a solitary goal.
