Who are Mamelodi Sundowns' CAF Champions League final opponents FAR Rabat?

However, their loss against Egypts Pyramids FC in the previous season highlighted that they do not consistently perform at their best in crucial moments, and although they possess a more experienced team compared to their rivals, passion and determination can sometimes prove equally valuable.

FAR Rabat will bring plenty of such qualities as they aim for their first title in the tournament since their sole prior success back in 1985. During that time, they overcame AS Bilima from DR Congo, which was then known as Zaire, in the final match.

The Moroccan team secured a 5 to 2 victory in the opening leg, followed by a 1 to 1 stalemate in the return fixture, resulting in a convincing 6 to 3 overall win.

That remains their only appearance in the final until this current campaign, where they have unexpectedly advanced all the way to the end.

Their journey began with a solid 4 to 1 aggregate triumph over Real de Banjul from The Gambia in the opening round, then they progressed past Guineas Horoya with another 4 to 1 aggregate score in the following stage.

They faced an early setback in the group phase with a 1 to 0 defeat away to Tanzanias Young Africans, yet they recovered by securing two victories and three draws in the remaining five matches, ending up in second place in Group B, just behind the Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly.

This positioned them for a quarter final encounter against the defending champions Pyramids, where after a 1 to 1 draw at home, they clinched a 2 to 1 win on the road.

In the semi finals, they took on fellow countrymen RS Berkane, entering as underdogs once more, but achieved a 2 to 0 home win and a narrow 1 to 0 away loss, securing a 2 to 1 aggregate victory.

As with many teams, their performances on home soil represent their key asset. Since 2007, they have suffered only one defeat in Champions League games at home (13 wins, 7 draws), and that occurred in 2023.

Yet, on the road, they tend to face greater challenges in the tournament. Over 29 fixtures since 2005, they have recorded four wins alongside nine draws and 16 defeats.

The club originated from an initiative by Moroccos king in 1958 and continues to be owned and managed by the government, with the president holding the rank of army general.

Royal Armed Forces have claimed 13 Moroccan league titles and 12 Throne Cups, and they hold the distinction of being the inaugural Moroccan club to compete in African tournaments.

Just a year after formation, in 1959, the club earned promotion to the top flight and went on to control the Botola league until 1970, led by French manager Guy Cluseau.

The squad saw a revival in the early 1980s thanks to Brazilian trainer José Faria, but following 1990, they endured a 15 year gap before returning to Champions League qualification.

In the interim, though, they reached the 1997 final of the African Cup Winners Cup under French coach Henri Depireux, only to fall to Tunisians Etoile du Sahel.

By 2005, they earned a spot in the Champions League yet exited prior to the group stage, subsequently entering the African Confederation Cup, which they captured under Mohamed Fakhir via a 3 to 1 aggregate win against Nigerias Dolphin FC in the decisive match.

In 2006, they advanced to the Confederation Cup final anew but were defeated by Etoile du Sahel, and in 2007, they finally qualified for the Champions League group stage.

Nevertheless, it was not until the previous year that they returned to the group phase, guided by experienced French manager Hubert Velud, who stepped down after injuring his Achilles tendon. Despite the coaching change, Royal Armed Forces topped their group, edging out Sundowns in the table. The pair shared draws in their meetings both in Rabat and Pretoria.

Portuguese manager Alexandre Santos succeeded Velud but oversaw an early quarter final elimination against the eventual champions Pyramids, before the team rebounded this season to reach the final.