Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates were kept apart in the quarterfinal of this season’s African Champions League when the draw was conducted in Doha on Thursday.
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Pirates were in the top seeds pot as one of the four group winners while Sundowns in the second pot because they finished runners-up in their group and the two came close to being paired together with four teams already drawn out of the hat before Sundowns’ name came up.
But the South African representatives will not meet each other unless they both reach the final in May.
In the quarterfinal Sundowns will take on Esperance of Tunisia in a repeat of their semifinal clash last year while Pirates are pitted up against Mouloudia Alger from Algeria.
🏆 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) February 20, 2025
Quarter-Final | Opponent Confirmed
🆚 @THEDEAN1921
⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/kMJsWk6m0s
For Sundowns new coach Miguel Cardoso, it is a reunion with the club that fired him in October.
Cardoso was in charge last year when Esperance beat Sundowns both home and away in the last four of the Champions League.
Sundowns will host the first leg on either 1-2 April with the return match in Tunis one week later.
𝑸𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓-𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑶𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒅
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) February 20, 2025
Masandawana will take on ES Tunis in the last 8⃣ of the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL ⚔️🌍#Sundowns #RabatsenaGape pic.twitter.com/OknVL4WLXW
If they win the tie, the Brazilians then taken on either holders Al Ahly of Egypt or Al Hilal of Sudan with the first leg at home for either Sundowns or Esperance.
Pirates play away in Algeria in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie with the return at the Orlando Stadium.
Should they progress, then the Buccaneers will face either Pyramids of Egypt or Royal Armed Forces of Morocco in the semifinal with the first leg in South Africa or Algeria.
But in the case of Pirates getting all the way to the final, they will have home advantage for the return match.
The road to the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL is set ✅
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) February 20, 2025
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are on opposite ends 👀#SSDiski pic.twitter.com/VbIZzeVgcM
DRAW (team mentioned first plays home in the first leg):
Quarterfinal (First leg April 1-2, Second leg April 8-9)
QF1 Al Ahly (Egypt) v Al Hilal (Sudan)
QF2 Pyramids (Egypt) v Royal Armed Forces (Morocco)
QF3 Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) v Esperance (Tunisia)
QF4 Mouloudia Alger (Algeria) v Orlando Pirates (South Africa)
Semifinal (First leg April 18-19, Second leg April 25-26)
SF1 QF3 v QF1
SF2 QF4 v QF2
Final (First leg May 24, Second leg June 1)
SF1 v SF 2