2024/25 Ethiopian Premier League champions Ethiopia Medhin will make their debut in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League tomorrow against Zanzibar’s flag bearers Mlandege FC.
The Insurers began their preseason camp on August 7 and have spent the last 44 days preparing under head coach Gebremedhin Haile. Speaking to Soccer Ethiopia, Gebremedhin admitted that preparations were far from ideal but stressed the team is ready for the big challenge ahead.
Ethiopia Medhin head into the tie with a reshaped squad, having parted ways with several key figures from their title-winning campaign, including skipper Hayder Sherfa, top scorer Mohammed Abera, playmaker Dawit Tefera, Abubeker Sani, Tesfaye Mintesnot, Mesfin Washe, and Abdisa Jemal. In their place, the club has introduced a mix of young talents and experienced names such as Musse Kiros, Biruk Mulugeta, Amanuel Erbo, Ismail Abdul-Ganyu, Michael Otolu, and Bekalu Adugna.
Their opponents, Mlandege FC, are one of the most decorated clubs in Zanzibar football. Founded in 1970, they have lifted the Zanzibar Premier League title eight times and twice won Mapinduzi Cup. Last season, they edged rivals KVZ FC on goal difference to clinch the league crown with 62 points, booking their place in this year’s CAF Champions League. Mlandege also featured recently in the CECAFA Kagame Cup, where they managed one win but failed to progress from the group stages.
Their current squad includes five foreign players, among them Brazilian defenders Vitor Care and Davi, French forward Enzo Sauvage, and Comoros international Haslan Ahmed.
Ethiopia Medhin are no strangers to continental football. They previously represented the country three times in the CAF Cup in 1993 & 1999 and the CAF Winners Cup in 2003. Their best run came in 1993 when they famously reached the semifinals after eliminating Rayon Sport, Al-Merreikh, and Young Africans, before bowing out to Ivorian side Stella Club d’Adjame.
For Mlandege this will be only their second ever CAF Champions League appearance, their first ending in a heavy 8–1 aggregate defeat to Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien.
Tomorrow’s clash at the Abebe Bikila Stadium promises to be a historic occasion as Ethiopia Medhin aim to mark their Champions League debut.
