MC Alger have issued a public statement on the eve of their decisive CAF Champions League meeting with Enugu Rangers, with the Algerian club keen to ensure a right atmosphere at the Martyr Ali Ammar Stadium on Friday.
The statement comes a day after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) rejected Rangers’ request for Friday’s return leg to be played behind closed doors. CAF also confirmed that disciplinary proceedings would be opened over incidents reported during the first leg between the clubs.
While MC Alger welcomed the prospect of playing in front of their home crowd, the club’s message carried a clear note of caution ahead of a match in which qualification for the Champions League group stage is at stake.
MC Alger urged fans to avoid throwing objects onto the pitch, including plastic bottles and fireworks, and warned against the use of laser pointers during the match.
The club said such behaviour could expose it to severe penalties, potentially including being forced to play future African fixtures without supporters.
Its management appealed to fans to demonstrate the sportsmanship and awareness it associated with the club’s following, while continuing to create a lively atmosphere at the Martyr Ali Ammar Stadium, also known as Ali La Pointe, in Douira.
The message was not a call for supporters to hold back their enthusiasm. Instead, MC Alger stressed that backing the team should not come at the expense of the club’s standing or its ability to welcome fans to future continental matches.
READ MORE: CAF deliver double ruling on Enugu Rangers before MC Alger return leg
The appeal follows CAF’s ruling on 22 October rejecting Rangers International’s request for the return leg to be played behind closed doors.
In the same decision, the CAF Disciplinary Board said it would open proceedings concerning incidents reported during the first leg encounter.
The decision did not establish the outcome of those proceedings or announce a sanction against either club. Any eventual disciplinary measures would depend on the process that follows.
Nevertheless, the timing of MC Alger’s statement places crowd conduct firmly in the buildup to Friday’s fixture. With CAF already set to examine reports from the first meeting, the Algerian club has publicly highlighted the consequences that further incidents could carry.
A decisive night in Algiers
The second leg is scheduled for Friday evening at the Martyr Ali Ammar Stadium, where MC Alger will look to secure their place in the Champions League group stage.
The club described its supporters as an important source of strength and called on them to respect the occasion, the club and the national flag.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
CAF’s rejection means the return leg will proceed with spectators present, rather than under the closed door arrangement they requested.
Meanwhile for MC Alger, the challenge is to make home advantage count while ensuring that the attention remains on the contest itself.
Pingback: FIFA approves major move in NFF crisis but one key detail remains - The Athletic NG