JS Kabylie look ahead to CAF CL quarter-final against ES Tunis

ES Tunis faced the media on Thursday as they prepare to meet 14-time Algerian champions JS Kabylie in the quarter-final, first leg of the CAF Champions League at Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers on Friday night.

Esperance, who won back-to-back Champions League titles in 2018 and 2019, are in the last eight of the competition for the seventh year running.

They topped Group D, having lost just one of their six group matches.

However, Nabil Maaloul's men have struggled away from home, triumphing in only one of their four away ties. They will also be up against a JS Kabylie side with an exceptional home record in the competition, having won all their games at home this season.

The two clubs have met twice before; they were paired in the same group during the 2019-20 Champions League campaign, with one win apiece.

JS Kabylie trained on Thursday ahead of hosting ES Tunis in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final.

JSK will be aiming to maintain their perfect home record this season in the tournament when the two sides meet in the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers on Friday night.

Miloud Hamdi's side have won all five of their home games in the competition, beating Casa Sports and ASKO Kara in the preliminary rounds before victories over Wydad Casablanca, AS Vita Club and Petro de Luanda in the group stages.

JSK finished runners-up to defending champions Wydad in Group A to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time since 2010.

However, the record 14-time Algerian champions have struggled to replicate this form on the domestic stage. After finishing second in Algeria's top tier last season, they are currently languishing down in 15th place.

Defending champions Wydad will meet Simba in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League following Wednesday's knockout stage draw in Cairo, Egypt.

Wydad, who have made it to at least the quarter-finals for eight years in a row, will meet the winner of the tie between CR Belouizdad and Mamelodi Sundowns if they beat Simba over two legs.

Al Ahly - the most successful club in the history of the competition with ten titles - were pitted against Raja Club Athletic, who had the best record in this year's group stage with five wins and a draw.

The winner of that tie will meet either four-time former champions Esperance de Tunis or two-time winners JS Kabylie in the last four, with the first legs to be played on 21st-22nd April.