APR coach Mohamed Adil Erradi has acknowledged his side will face a tough final round tie against Morocco’s RS Berkane in the 2021/22 CAF Confederation Cup but he is happy with the team’s preparations.

The black-and-white outfit, who were representing Rwanda in the Champions League, dropped to the Confederation Cup following a humiliating 5-1 defeat on aggregate at the hands of Étoile du Sahel in the second round.

The draw for the final round of the Confederation Cup preliminaries, which took place on Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt, placed APR against RS Berkane of Morocco.

"As we prepare for the league’s new season and the matches against RS Berkane, I am seeing improvement all over the field and we know RS Berkane will be a tough test,” said Morocco-born tactician Erradi.

APR have been critised for failing to replicate their dominance in local football to continental scene. Photos: Courtesy.

"We need to focus much on away matches because we have been doing well in Kigali.”

The two sides’ first encounter will be played at Kigali Stadium on the weekend of November 26-28, with the return-leg due a week later in the North African country.

"We are trying to make sure that we have the strongest team available before we meet Berkane. Players are getting more confident with every match that we have played, and the work continues,” he further noted.

RS Berkane, winners of the 2019/20 Caf Confederation Cup, are coached by renowned DR Congolese Florent Ibengé. They reached the third and final round of preliminaries after outplaying Tunisia’s Ben Guerdane 5-0 last week.

Head coach Mohamed Adil Erradi speaks to APR captain Jacques Tuyisenge during a past training session at Kigali Stadium. 

APR’s best campaign in Africa’s premier club competition was during the 2004 season when they reached the third round under the stewardship of late Jean Marie Ntagwabira.

Since then, the army side, who are regarded as the country’s most successful club, has faltered in the continent’s elite competition. The club has never reached the group stage since its 1997 debut.