Wydad Casablanca captain Yahya Jabrane has attributed their successive final appearances in the CAF Champions League to their experience and the team’s winning culture.
The reigning African champions suffered a blow in their title defence last Sunday with a 2-1 defeat to Al Ahly in the first leg of the final game in Cairo.
Wydad Casablanca need to overturn the first-leg deficit with a win to lift the Champions League title at the Stade Mohamed V Complex on Sunday, June 11.
Jabrane disclosed that the 2022-23 campaign is more difficult for them compared to last season’s triumph, but their experience stood out.
“Our journey has been more arduous compared to last season. African football has seen significant growth,” the 31-year-old told CAF website.
“There were matches where we could have been defeated, but our experience helped us. We have a team culture that has taught us how to find ways to win, and that’s how we made it to the final.”
In their run to the final, Wydad Casablanca put in an outstanding performance in Pretoria to come from behind twice and draw Mamelodi Sundowns 2-2 in the second leg of their semi-final match.
They progressed on away goal rule but the game, according to the Morocco international, was a do-or-die encounter for the Red Castle.
He added: “It was a challenging match against an opponent that everyone considered a strong contender for the title.
“For us, it was a do-or-die match in the second leg, and even when we conceded the first goal, we kept pushing. The second goal was scored very late, but we never lost hope. We kept fighting. That determination was within us.”
