Boasting two victories from three finals in the last eight years, few would argue that Raja Casablanca have been Africa's most successful side over the past decade.

Since the competition's change of format and the introduction of a league phase in 1997, Raja have established themselves as a major side on the continent. The Moroccans won the inaugural edition, with a second title, again after a penalty shootout, coming two years later in 1999. Things have not gone quite their way since though. They suffered a 1-0 aggregate loss to Zamalek in the final three years ago, and the following year, were dumped out in the preliminary rounds.

Nevertheless Raja have maintained a reputation as battlers, highlighted this year by their dramatic progress to the final four of the Champions League. The club from Casablanca have rarely displayed any fluency in this year's tournament, but their fighting spirit has seen them emerge from a seemingly impossible position with two group matches to go.

When Raja dropped home points to outsiders Ajax Cape Town and then scrapped an untidy win over Enyimba of Nigeria, their prospects of making the final four did not look good. By the final matchday their destiny lay in the laps of the gods. The Moroccans kept their side of the bargain by winning three points down south in Cape Town but could only begin wild celebrations after discovering that Egypt's Al Ahli had beaten 2003 and 2004 champions Enyimba in Cairo. As a result, Raja slipped into second spot and qualified for the final four while their Nigerian rivals tumbled out of the competition.

Second again
Etoile Sahel might not have the same pedigree as Raja but the Tunisians have displayed an air of competence throughout. Not only did they top Group B  ahead of Egypt's Zamalek but, even more satisfyingly, above domestic arch-rivals Esperance. 

Four draws in six group matches did, however, betray a lack of creativity. In the absence of the retired Zoubeir Baya and the bustling Ivorian striker Kandia Traore, sold to Le Mans in France's Ligue 2, goals were not easy to come by. They gleaned 10 points with just seven goals.

As the leading side from Tunisia's second city, Etoile have something of a bridesmaid's image about them. They were runners-up in last year's Champions League final, heartbreakingly beaten on penalties by Enyimba at the end of the second leg of the final in Abuja. And in this year's domestic competition, they finished runners-up for the sixth successive season. The experience was particularly hard to swallow as it was ultimately decided by the Tunisian Federation after one of the closest championship races in history. 

The semi-final clash will be the first clash between Raja and Etoile in pan-African competition.
It is also an unusual meeting between two east European coaches, relatively new in their posts. The Tunisians are now managed by Bosnian Mehmed Bazdarevic, a newcomer to the African football scene. Alexandre Moldovan, who recently began his third spell in charge of Raja, knows all of its vagaries.

They, like the North African rivals, will go head-to-head for the first leg of the semi-final on Saturday evening.