Zamalek, who won their second Confederation Cup title last season by defeating RS Berkane, are widely considered favourites, but they know that no opponent can be underestimated.

The Cairo giants' extensive experience in African competitions, along with their squad depth, puts them in a favourable position to progress to the group stage.

They aim for a commanding result to take back to Egypt for the second leg.

Zamalek endured a challenging domestic season, finishing third in the league and failing to claim domestic silverware.

However, their Confederation Cup triumph remains a bright spot.

The White Knights have strengthened their squad with key signings, including Polish winger Konrad Michalak, Senegalese striker Sidy Ndiaye, Palestinian forward Omar Faraj, and Moroccan left-back Mahmoud Bentayg.

On the other hand, Kenya's Police FC secured their spot in this round after a hard-fought 1-0 aggregate win over Ethiopia Coffee SC.

The Kenyans first-timers are hoping to pick a big result that could put them at an advantage to pull a surprise when they play the return fixture in Cairo a week later.

Striker Jesse Were, returning after a nine-year stint in Zambia, is expected to play a pivotal role in the Kenyan side.

Zamalek are back in Kenya for the first time since 2021 when they defeated Tusker FC 1-0 at the Nyayo Stadium in the CAF Champions League. However, they will remember their 2019 trip when they suffered a 4-2 defeat against Gor Mahia.

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