Santos: 'Refereeing Denied FAR Rabat Two Goals; Aim for Three Points in Algeria'

FAR Rabat coach, Alexandre Santos, affirmed that the match against Algerian side JS Kabylie represents a "new beginning" for his team in the CAF Champions League group stage. He emphasized that the objective is clear: to secure a victory despite the difficulty of the away fixture.

During the pre-match press conference, Santos stated, "The goal is simple: to win. With all due respect to JS Kabylie, we are FAR Rabat, and we play for victory." He highlighted that the team's start in the continental competition has not been up to par, especially given that all teams in the group currently share a single point.

He added, "Currently, every team has one point, and our Champions League start was not what we wanted. We feel great frustration because in the first two matches, we played well, and the referees denied us two clear and legitimate goals. The players are focused on delivering a strong performance here, continuing our journey in the CAF Champions League, and hopefully leaving Algeria with three points."

Santos also addressed the sanction imposed by CAF on FAR Rabat, requiring them to play two home matches without spectators due to incidents during the game against Egyptian club Al Ahly. The coach commented, "In the last 15 minutes against Al Ahly, the referee made two mistakes, which naturally angered our fans, as there was a penalty not given and also a goal disallowed. Unfortunately, we will play our next two home matches without our supporters. They are our strength, and their way of cheering helps us."

It is worth noting that JS Kabylie will host FAR Rabat tomorrow, Saturday, at 17:00 (GMT+1), in the third round of the CAF Champions League group stage.