Remo Stars technical adviser Tiago Conde has struck a confident yet grounded tone as the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions prepare for their biggest challenge yet—a CAF Champions League second preliminary round showdown against South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns.

The Sky Blue Stars booked their place in this stage after a commanding 5-0 aggregate victory over US Zilimadjou of Comoros, winning 4-0 in Abeokuta before sealing the tie with a 1-0 away success, thanks to Alex Ayowah’s decisive penalty, Footballrover reports.

‘It’s Simple’ — Conde’s Call for Mental Readiness

Reflecting on the team’s progress so far, Conde praised the focus and composure his players displayed across both legs against Zilimadjou.

— “Yeah, it was good. The first leg we were more aggressive. We did a very good first half; the first 20 minutes, very good. In the second half as well, the last 30 minutes was very good.

— “This game, how we saw the game, how we prepared for the game was different because you come from winning 4-0, so our introduction for the game, how we tried to make the things is quite different.

But hopefully we got one goal, so it was the objective. And now we are in the next round. As well, we have to prepare well for these two games, one in a way.

Of course, the difficulty now will be bigger; it’s normal, but we are prepared.”

Looking ahead to the clash with the South African champions, Conde stressed the importance of mental strength as the NPFL champions step up against one of the continent’s heavyweights.

— “Look, it’s simple. When we play against a team, the dimension of Mamelodi Sundowns sometimes, we have to be prepared.

Your mindset should be in the correct position and prepared for everything. Because we know the other side, there’s a good team.

And this side, we are a good team as well. We are human beings; we have two legs, so it is what it is.

Of course, we don’t have the same weapons, but we are going to fight with what we have, obviously.”

Remo Stars Ready to Test Themselves Against African Heavyweights

For Remo Stars, this fixture represents not just another step in the CAF Champions League, but a chance to finally announce themselves as a force in African club football.

The Ikenne side’s victory over Zilimadjou shows they are actually ready to take that bold step, particularly in handling their fixtures with discipline and efficiency.

While Mamelodi Sundowns enter the competition at the second stage due to their high CAF ranking and last season’s run to the final, the NPFL champions will aim to use their early momentum to their advantage.

The Daniel Ogunmodede side will host Sundowns in the first leg on 17 October in Nigeria before travelling to Tshwane for the return leg on 24 October in what is set to be one of the most anticipated fixtures in the preliminary rounds of African club football.

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Last Updated on September 28, 2025 11:40 am by footballrover