LIVE: CAF Champions League quarterfinals draw

For the first time since the expansion of the CAF Champions League to include a quarterfinals stage, all of the eight teams to reach the knockout stages are former winners.

Following the controversy that overshadowed last year’s edition, with Esperance awarded the title despite the second leg of their final against Wydad Casablanca in Rades, Tunisia, being abandoned after the Moroccans protested the officials’ non-usage of VAR, this year’s tournament has largely returned focus to the action on the pitch.

The group stage wasn’t entirely without controversy, given that Al-Ahly’s 1-1 draw with Sudan’s Al-Hilal on match day six — when the hosts had to win to progress at the Egyptians’ expense — was overshadowed by a fan riot in which home supporters appeared to attack the visiting players.

Al-Hilal were subsequently fined a provisional $100,000 by CAF, although they will pay only half that amount if there is not a repeat offence within the coming 12 months.

Al-Ahly, under Swiss coach Rene Weiler, are the most successful side in the competition’s history, and they will be expected to challenge again for the top honours.

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However, they were uninspiring during their group-stage campaign — failing to win any of their away games — and memories of last year’s 5-1 aggregate defeat by Sundowns in the quarterfinals are yet to be completely banished.

Zamalek are the second Egyptian team still standing in the competition, and they’ll be hoping for some continent reprieve amid a disappointing domestic run in which they find themselves 11 points behind bitter city rivals Al-Ahly.

Milutin Sredojevic was sacked in December, replaced by Patrice Carteron, and the Frenchman may be the White Knights’ key asset as he galvanised a beleaguered Al-Ahly team and inspired them to the title in 2018.