CAF Champions League 2024-25 Predictions & Betting tips
Join us at SportyTrader, where we unravel expert insights and provide accurate predictions as we journey into the heart of African club footballing excellence - the CAF Champions League 2024-25!
CAF Champions League 2024-25 presentation and predictions
The CAF Champions League, the crown jewel of African club football, is upon us, and SportyTrader will be covering the marquee event every step of the way through the 2024-25 campaign.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane. The CAF Champions League has an incredible history that dates back 60 years to 1964. Over the years, football clubs from across Africa have battled to be crowned the champions of the continent, but only a few have earned the prestigious title.
Teams like TP Mazembe, Wydad Casablanca, Al-Ahly, and Mamelodi Sundowns have all left an indelible mark on the competition, but the big question remains - who will emerge as the African powerhouse in 2024-25? Find out everything you need to know about Africa’s biggest club football competition below!
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CAF Champions League 2024-25 prediction: who will win the title?
Once again, the title of African champions in the previous season went to the indomitable team from Cairo: Al-Ahly. Their 1-0 aggregate win over ES Tunis in the final marked a record 12th CAF Champions League triumph for the Red Devils, giving them more than double the amount of titles as the next highest (Zamalek and TP Mazembe with 5 each).
With four CAF Champions League trophies in the last five seasons, Al-Ahly will naturally be the team to beat going into the 2024-25 campaign. Will one of the other contenders such as fellow Egyptian club Pyramids step up and wrestle the trophy away this time around? Or perhaps it will be one of the dark horse teams out of South Africa such as 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns or 1995 winners Orlando Pirates?
As for Al-Ahly, it's difficult to look past the Egyptian giants from Cairo. They lifted the 2023-24 CAF Champions League title in dominant fashion, conceding only one goal in the entire competition and recording six consecutive clean sheets from the quarter-finals all the way to the final. They are deserving favourites going into the new year and we believe there is a good chance that they retain their crown for a third straight season.
Therefore, our prediction for the CAF Champions League 2024-25: victory for Al-Ahly!
CAF Champions League 2024-25 prediction - odds on the favourites for the title
The outright odds are not currently available for the CAF Champions League. In the meantime, head over to Unibet to see the other betting markets!
What prediction for the top scorer in the CAF Champions League 2024-25?
As we correctly predicted last season, Al-Ahly's Hussein El Shahat went on to claim the top goalscorer award with five goals in 12 appearances. Behind him finished six players level on four goals each, highlighting how tight the competition for this accolade usually is.
We're not expecting that to be any different in the 2024-25 season, meaning it is important to prioritize players on teams who you think will make a deep run in the tournament. This will give your selections the highest amount of potential match opportunities, meaning more time on the pitch to score goals. Here is a list of players to keep an eye on:
- Hussein El Shahat (Al-Ahly)
- Kahraba (Al-Ahly)
- Pacome Zouzoua (Young Africans)
- Cheick Fofana (TP Mazembe)
- Peter Shalulile (Sundowns)
- Lucas Ribeiro (Sundowns)
- Rodrigo Rodrigues (ES Tunis)
- Tshegofatso Mabasa (Orlando Pirates)
- Ramadan Sobhi (Pyramids)
- Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids)
With Al-Ahly expected to once again make a run to the final, one of their players is likely to have a good shot at winning the top goalscorer award. Either Red Devils striker Kahraba or last season's winner, Hussein El Shahat, should be good bets as they are set to once again play a big part for the defending champions.
CAF Champions League top scorer odds
At the moment, the odds for the CAF Champions League top scorer are not available. In the meantime, we recommend checking out Bet365 to see the other betting markets that are available.
CAF Champions League 2024-25 quarter-final predictions
With the group stage now in the books, eight teams are one step closer to the CAF Champions League trophy! Below, we've laid out the quarter-final fixtures and added our thoughts on which teams will advance to the semis. Alll ties see the first leg played on 01 April and the return leg played on 08 April.
- Al-Ahly vs Al-Hilal Club
- MC Alger vs Orlando Pirates
- Pyramids vs AS FAR
- Mamelodi Sundowns vs ES Tunis
As for our predictions, we believe defending champions Al-Ahly should be able to get past surprise package Al-Hilal and advance to the final four teams. Orlando Pirates were hugely impressive in the group stage and we believe the South African side can carry that over to the knockout rounds and stave off the challenge from MC Alger. Pyramids are on the rise in the past few seasons and this could well be their official coming out party. The Egyptians have what it takes to get by AS FAR. Finally, the matchup between Mamelodi Sundowns and ES Tunis might just be the toughest to call out of all the quarter-final matches. Both are established sides in Africa's premier club competition but we believe ES Tunis might just have that little bit extra to advance to the semi-finals.
What do you think? Do you agree with our predictions? Head over to the CAF Champions League odds page and get your bets ready for the quarter-finals!
CAF Champions League 2024-25 group stage review
The qualification stage is complete and the four groups have been decided! Below we break down each group and offer a prediction on which teams will make it to the knockout stages.
Group A: Al-Hilal Club (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria), Mazembe (DR Congo), Young Africans (Tanzania)
TP Mazembe's campaign has come to an end in what is likely the biggest disappointment of the 2024/25 CAF Champions League. The Congolese champions were expected by many to not only top Group A, but to make a serious run at lifting the trophy. Things didn't play out that way though as Mazembe crashed out at the group stage, managing only five points and finishing bottom of the group.
Al-Hilal Club did extremely well to upset the odds and top the group, meaning they now advance to the quarter-finals for the first time in 10 years. Coming in second place, 1975 champions MC Alger booked their spot in the quarter-final in their first CAF Champions League appearance in four years.
Group A standings
- Al-Hilal Club - 10 points
- MC Alger - 9 points
- Young Africans - 8 points
- TP Mazembe - 5 points
Group B: AS FAR (Morocco), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), AS Maniema Union (DR Congo), Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
AS FAR managed a bit of revenge as they beat out fellow Moroccan club Raja Casablanca for a spot in the quarter-final. Raja edged AS FAR for the Botola Pro title last season by a single point and will view a group stage exit here as a big letdown.
South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns were the favorites to finish top of this group but had to settle for second place in what was a very competitive battle between the top three teams. However, the important part is that they are still alive and they'll fancy their chances as we head into the knockout rounds.
Group B standings
- AS FAR - 10 points
- Mamelodi Sundowns - 9 points
- Raja Casablanca - 8 points
- AS Maniema - 3 points
Group C: Al-Ahly (Egypt), CR Belouizdad (Algeria), Orlando Pirates (South Africa), Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
The finalists of the 2013 CAF Champions League emerged as the top two teams and thus booked their spot in the quarter-final. However, it was Orlando Pirates who pulled off the surprise as they cruised through Group C with an unbeaten 4-2-0 record.
Defending champions Al-Ahly clinched their top two position with one match to spare. The Egyptian side was expected to top the group without breaking a sweat but were put to the test a number of times. Still, Al-Ahly is a formidable force and are rightly the favorites to retain their title.
Group C standings
- Orlando Pirates - 14 points
- Al-Ahly - 10 points
- CR Belouizdad - 9 points
- Stade d'Abidjan - 1 point
Group D: Djoliba AC (Mali), ES Tunis (Tunisia), Pyramids (Egypt), Sagrada Esperança (Angola)
Group D played out as many expected it would with ES Tunis and Pyramids finishing comfortably in the top two positions. Tunis were the favorites to finish in the top spot and were able to just edge out their Egyptian opponents thanks to a superior head-to-head record.
While they may be disappointed about missing out on first place, Pyramids can be proud of the way that they have performed in only their second CAF Champions League appearance. This is the first time that they have advanced to the quarter-final and it's a great representation for the tremendous progress that they have made in the last five years.
Group D standings
- ES Tunis - 13 points
- Pyramids - 13 points
- Sagrada Esperança - 5 points
- Djoliba AC - 2 points
Beginners Guide to how the CAF Champions League 2024-25 works
The CAF Champions League is structured to determine the best club team in Africa through a series of knockout rounds and group-stage matches.
CAF Champions League format:
- Qualification: This is where it all begins. Teams qualify for the CAF Champions League based on their performance in their respective domestic leagues. The greater an association's ranking, determined by the specified criteria, results in a higher number of teams representing the association in the Champions League and reduces the number of qualification rounds its teams are required to participate in.
- Preliminary Round: Before the actual group stage of the competition, there is a preliminary round where teams play knockout ties, and the winners advance. There are two rounds, with each round consisting of a two-legged, home and away structure. The team with the higher aggregate score advances. The second round features 32 teams going head-to-head, and only the 16 winners are allowed to advance to the group stage. The second preliminary round kicks off on September 13-15 for the first legs and sees the return legs set for September 20-22, 2024.
- Group Stage: The 16 qualified teams are divided into four groups containing four teams each. In the group stage, each team plays home and away matches against the other teams in their group. Points are awarded for wins and draws, and the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stages. The group stage is set to began in October 2024, and the draw will be conducted after the end of the second preliminary round. Teams are seeded according to their performances in the CAF competitions for the last five seasons.
- Knockout Stages: This stage commences once the top two teams in each group have been determined after playing against every other side in the group twice. The knockout stages consist of the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the grand final. Teams compete in two-legged ties, playing one match at home and one away. The team with the higher aggregate score over the two legs advances to the next round. The quarter-final is set to be played in March 2025 and the semi-final in April 2025.
- Final: The two best club sides in Africa rise to the top to compete in the Grand Final. The final is also a two-legged encounter held at a neutral venue, and the winner is crowned the CAF Champions League champion. The 2024-25 CAF Champions League final will be played in May 2025.
How to make good predictions on CAF Champions League 2024-25 matches?
While there is no guaranteed method to predict the winners of every match in the CAF Champions League, SportyTrader provides you with a few crucial tips that can give you a competitive edge over the bookmakers.
Here are some of our top tips for making better betting decisions for the CAF Champions League:
- Team Form and Performance
- Key Player Analysis
- Historical Head-to-Head Records
- Home and Away Performance
- Make use of Reliable Data
Tip 1: Team Form and Performance
Consistency in performance is a key indicator of a team's current strength and ability to compete at a high level. Take the time to analyse the recent performance of teams in their domestic leagues and previous CAF Champions League matches. A team in good form is likely to maintain its positive momentum.
Example: If a specific team has won its last five matches in the domestic league and Champions League, that suggests a high level of confidence and form, which is often a crucial factor in determining the expected performance of the side in their next match.
Tip 2: Key Player Analysis
Star players often contribute significantly to a team's success, and their form and influence on the pitch should never be overlooked. Teams that have players ranked among the top for goals scored, assists provided, and clean sheets maintained are excellent ways of determining how the side will fare in their next match. The impact of key players often extends beyond statistics and can greatly affect match outcomes.
Example: If a team’s top scorer has been involved in a high percentage of their goals and currently ranks among the top performers in their role, that player's performance could be a key predictor not just to the outcome of the match but also in terms of individual accolades.
Tip 3: Historical Head-to-Head Records
Arguably the most important of all the tips listed here - analysing past matchups between teams can reveal patterns, strengths, and weaknesses that may persist in future encounters. Due to the country rankings, sides from lower-ranking associations may be dominant in their domestic league but could struggle when facing teams with greater financial means, such as Al-Ahly or Mamelodi Sundowns. If there are no head-to-head records between the sides you are looking at, search for teams that they have faced from the same country for a better understanding of their chances in the contest.
Example: If ES Tunis have never faced Al-Ahly in a previous meeting, consider searching for their performances against Pyramids, who are another Egyptian side in the competition. Pyramids finished behind Al-Ahly last season, and if ES Tunis have struggled against Pyramids, they are likely to find it difficult against Al-Ahly as well.
Tip 4: Home and Away Performance
One of the more common but still effective strategies is to consider the team’s performances at home compared to on the road. Indeed, home-field advantage is a well-known factor in football, and teams' performances in familiar versus unfamiliar environments can differ, usually with home performances being stronger. This is due to a number of factors, but the most obvious is due to their home support and familiarity with the conditions.
Example: If TP Mazembe has an impressive home record with strong fan support, they might have a higher chance of success when playing at home.
Tip 5: Make use of Reliable Data
With the world’s attention likely to be focused on the CAF Champions League, there is a plethora of information available to fans and punters alike. However, it is crucial that you only use reliable sources to guide your betting decisions. SportyTrader is one such source, as our experts take into account all of the points above as well as factors such as injury and suspension updates, the team’s tactical approaches, and even venue and weather conditions in our predictions.
Wherever possible, try using more than one source to maximise your chances of picking a winner!
What not to do for your CAF Champions League 2024-25 predictions
Now that you know what to do before making your betting predictions for the CAF Champions League, it is worth covering the most common pitfalls that you should avoid at all costs:
- Relying solely on team reputation
- Disregarding squad rotation strategies
- Ignoring external distractions such as off-field issues
- Basing predictions solely on fan expectation
- Failing to account for the team’s travel time and potential fixture congestion
- Chasing losses from a previous match by increasing bet size for the next match
- Playing accumulators and parlays with a high number of legs
Making successful predictions in the CAF Champions League requires a nuanced approach, considering a multitude of factors while avoiding common pitfalls. The key is to embrace a holistic view, acknowledging the fluid nature of football dynamics and refraining from exclusive reliance on a single criteria.
CAF Champions League 2024-25 prediction: statistics you need to know
Making use of statistics is vital to finding winning bets. To help with your betting decisions, here are a few key stats from the previously completed season (2023-24):
- Home win percentage: 49%
- Draw percentage: 30%
- Away wins percentage: 20%
- Average goals: 1.92 goals per game
- Over 1.5 goals: 55%
- Over 2.5 goals: 31%
- Over 3.5 goals: 14%
- “Both teams to score: Yes”: 26%
- Average home goals: 1.30 per match
- Average away goals: 0.63 per match
- Percentage of matches with a clean sheet: 93%
- Goal scored in first half: 45%
- Goals scored in second half: 55%
- Most frequent score: 0-0 (18.9% of matches)
- Second most frequent score: 1-0 home team (18.2% of matches)
- Most frequent halftime score: 0-0 (43.5%)
African football is like no other in the world as there is much less of a gulf in class between most sides, barring those ranked 1st - 3rd according to the African Association ranking. As a result, matches between sides in the CAF Champions League tend to be much more level than you would likely see in Europe, Asia or in South America.
As you can see from the above statistics, goals are certainly at a premium in this competition. The Under 2.5 market is often a strong betting option, but be wary of the teams that are playing, as some of them are good at attacking, especially at home. You'll also notice that home field advantage plays a much bigger role in the CAF Champions League with the home win percentage at almost 50%, a figure which even ranks higher than each of the 'big five' European leagues.
In short: how to make the right CAF Champions League predictions?
To make accurate CAF Champions League predictions, consider recent team form, analyse key player performances, and review historical head-to-head records. Assessing home and away dynamics and staying updated on injuries and suspensions are also crucial in making winning predictions.
Avoid relying solely on team reputation, overlooking recent form, and underestimating underdog teams. A comprehensive analysis combining all these factors enhances the likelihood of landing a winner!
And, of course, be sure to make use of SportyTrader's betting predictions to give you a competitive edge over the bookies. Let’s hit them hard for this year’s CAF Champions League!
Our CAF Champions League Predictions of the moment
There are no previews at the moment for this competition
Best Odds to bet on CAF Champions League 2024-25
Odds are not yet available for this competition.
Do you like live betting with bookmakers? You can take advantage of our CAF Champions League Livescores and CAF Champions League odds comparator tools, which are 100% free and give you all the information you need in real time. What more could you ask for?
All the images in this article come from the IMAGO website.
CAF Champions League 2024-25 : Frequently Asked Questions
The CAF Champions League is an annual continental club football competition organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It features the top football clubs from across Africa competing for the title of the best club team on the continent.
Al-Ahly of Cairo is the record CAF Champions League winner with 12 titles under their belt following their most recent triumph. TP Mazembe and Zamalek have won the competition five times each, and ES Tunis have claimed the trophy three times.
CAF Champions League matches are broadcast on various sports networks and streaming platforms. In most countries across Africa, the tournament can be viewed on DSTV or DSTV Now.
If you cannot watch the matches on TV, SportyTrader will be covering every match of the CAF Champions League 2024-25 on our CAF Champions League Livescores page.