Vitesse FC have begun preparations in Ouagadougou for their first-ever appearance in continental football, with the Burkina Faso club facing Real de Bamako in the preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday, 6 September.
The Bobo-Dioulasso side held its first training session for the tie on Thursday, 3 September, at the Stade du 4-Aout. The same venue will host the meeting with the Malian club, giving Vitesse FC the chance to make their continental debut on familiar ground after travelling to the Burkina Faso capital.
The session focused on the tactical work considered necessary for the opening-round contest, with coach Mamadou Zongo, known as “Bebeto”, directing particular attention towards quick transitions and the speed with which his players recover their positions.
“We are trying to work tactically. We are going to work on quick transitions and quick repositioning. There is a good atmosphere in the group. Fortunately, I have a very, very disciplined group. It is up to us to work so that, on the day, they are in good form,” said the coach.
Zongo’s comments underline the immediate priorities for a team preparing to step beyond domestic competition for the first time. Vitesse FC will seek to impose discipline and organisation when they meet Real de Bamako, while using the days before the match to sharpen the movements required in both attack and defence.
The fixture comes after a landmark achievement for the Bobo-Dioulasso club. Vitesse FC won the Coupe du Faso for the first time, a success that secured their place in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round and opened the door to their first experience on the continental stage.
Their meeting with Real de Bamako therefore carries significance beyond the result alone. It represents the next chapter after the club’s breakthrough domestic triumph and offers Vitesse FC an opportunity to begin their international campaign in front of their own supporters at the Stade du 4-Aout.
For now, the squad’s work is centred on preparation. The coaching staff are using the opening training sessions to develop the tactical plan, improve the team’s ability to switch quickly between phases of play and ensure the players reach matchday in the condition Zongo wants.
Vitesse FC and Real de Bamako will meet on Sunday in the preliminary round, with the Burkinabe club embarking on its first continental challenge after winning the Coupe du Faso for the first time.