Wydad Casablanca have named Swiss Michel Decastel as their new coach, few weeks before facing Egyptian giants Ahly in the African Champions League group stage.

Moroccan media quoted Wydad chairman Abdelillah Akram as saying that Decastel would pen a one-year deal on Friday, around seven years after he left the club.

He will be burdened with the task of helping Wydad mount a serious challenge for the prestigious Champions League in only their second appearance in Africa’s premier club competition.

Wydad will open their Group A campaign away to six-time winners Ahly at Cairo Stadium. The match will be played behind closed doors after the Red Devils were punished for the misbehaviour of their fans during the preliminary round game against Zambia’s ZESCO United.

The group also includes MC Alger and Tunisia’s Esperance, who eliminated Ahly from the competition’s semi finals last season.

Decastel managed Zamalek, Ahly’s arch-rivals, for several months in 2009 before being sacked following a string of poor results.

The 55-year-old also had spells with fellow Tunisian outfits Sfaxien, Esperance and Etoile Sahel.