APR coach Adil Erradi Mohammed believes his team can overcome Tunisian giants Etoile Sportive du Sahel in the first leg of the first round of the CAF champions’ league.

The first leg will be staged on October 16 at Kigali Stadium, while the return leg will take place in Tunisia a week later.

The army side has played a series of friendlies to prepare for the crucial tie, the latest being a 4-2 win against SC Kiyovu on Saturday.

The Moroccan coach has asked his players to roll up their sleeves when it comes to the Champions League, a competition they have never reached the group stages.

"I’m glad with how we performed against SC Kiyovu. We played with good control, technique and aggression. We were fast on the counter-attacks and defended as a unit. That gives me hope that we are ready for Etoile Sportive du Sahel,” Adil said.

Although the APR coach is buzzing with confidence, his team has a poor record against in the champions league while Étoile du Sahel has won one CAF Champions League, 2 CAF Super Cup titles, 2 CAF Confederation Cup titles and 2 African Cup Winners’ Cup.

Also, Etoile du Sahel has never lost to APR in their past two meetings.

APR have never reached the group stage since they made their debut in one of Africa’s biggest club competitions in 1997.