Vitesse FC have begun preparations in Ouagadougou for their first appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup, holding their opening training session at Stade du 4-Aout on Thursday, 3 September.
The Burkina Faso representatives will face Real de Bamako in the preliminary round on Sunday, 6 September, with the match also scheduled to take place at Stade du 4-Aout.
The fixture will be a landmark occasion for Vitesse FC, who are preparing to compete on the continental stage for the first time. The Bobo-Dioulasso club secured their place in the competition after winning Coupe du Faso for the first time.
Their preparations have now moved to the Burkina Faso capital, where coach Mamadou Zongo – known as “Bebeto” – used the first session to focus on tactical organisation, quick transitions and the speed with which his players recover their shape.
“Nous essayons de travailler tactiquement. Nous allons travailler sur les transitions rapides et le replacement rapide. Le groupe, il y a l’ambiance. Heureusement, j’ai un groupe tres, tres discipline. C’est a nous de travailler pour que le jour J, il soit en forme”, a declare le technicien.
Zongo said the group had a positive atmosphere and praised the discipline of his players as they continued their work ahead of the meeting with Real de Bamako.
The coach’s priorities during the session reflected the demands of the preliminary-round tie, with Vitesse FC concentrating on how quickly they can move from defence into attack and how efficiently they can reorganise without the ball.
For the Bobo-Dioulasso side, Sunday’s match represents both a competitive challenge and a significant step beyond domestic football. The club’s first Coupe du Faso triumph has given them the opportunity to measure themselves against opposition from outside Burkina Faso.
The match will be played on the same Stade du 4-Aout pitch used for Thursday’s training session. Vitesse FC will therefore continue their build-up in Ouagadougou before facing Real de Bamako in what will be the club’s inaugural continental fixture.
Their immediate objective is to complete preparations and ensure the squad is ready for the opening match. Zongo’s message was that the work being done in training must leave the players in the right condition when the tie begins on Sunday.
Vitesse FC’s appearance in the preliminary round marks the latest stage in a season that has already brought the club its first Coupe du Faso title. It also gives the club an opportunity to begin establishing itself beyond the national game, starting with a meeting against Real de Bamako at Stade du 4-Aout.
