Merreikh in decisive derby clash

The rivalry between Hilal and Merreikh is intense

Sudan's Al Merreikh have to beat their great rivals Al Hilal or they will be out of the African Champions League.

The Group A clash in Omdurman on Friday night is the highlight of the weekend's continental action.

"It is special for us to play this derby in the African Champions League," Merreikh coach Mohamed Abdallah told the BBC.

"Some of our spectators are not interested in the Champions League, only in this derby."

But Merreikh's future in the tournament demands a win - anything but three points and they will be unable to reach the last four.

For Hilal by contrast, a win - plus victory for Kano Pillars of Nigeria over Zambia's Zesco United - would see them through to the semis.

If Kano win they will go through regardless of other results.

In Group B, Zimbabwe's Monomotapa have endured a difficult build-up to their game against Tunisia's Etoile du Sahel on Saturday.

Monomotapa's players will have a late arrival in Tunisia

They should have left on Tuesday but only secured flight tickets on Thursday, after a frantic search for sponsorship.

They were scheduled to arrive in Tunisia just 24 hours before kick-off.

"We are thankful to the Zimbabwean company that stepped in", Monomotapa secretary David Makombe told BBC Sport.

The deal also covers their final group game against visiting Heartland of Nigeria.

Monomotapa captain Mtulisi Maphosa told BBC Sport that the players want to make an impression despite the problems.

"We need to accept that the executive don't have money, we're doing it for the national cause, and we need also to go and market ourselves," he told the BBC's African sports programme Fast Track.

DR Congo's TP Mazembe top this group with nine points from their four games so far.

If they win at second-placed Heartland of Nigeria then the Congolese will also be through to the last four.