Bianchi will be taking charge of only his second game at the club since he took over barely a month ago.

Roberto Luiz Bianchi has urged Vipers SC to be "brave" when they face favourites and fearsome Raja Casablanca in their opening CAF Champions League group C encounter on Friday.

The Venoms have reached the group stages of the competition for the first time in history and will start their journey against three-time Champions League winners.

Raja return to the competition for the first time since the 2020/21 season where they reached the semi-finals before they were eliminated in the semi-finals.

Speaking before the game to be played at the Muhammad V Complex in Casablanca, Bianchi declared that Vipers should carry the belief that they can claim a big win.

“We are very motivated, and we have everything ready,” he said, adding; “We respect Raja, they are a big club with a lot of history.”

“They also have players with a lot of experience and quality as well. The fans will make it hard for us during the game, but overall we must carry the belief that we can win and should be strong and brave.”

“We know the difficulties we are going to face in Morocco, but Raja Casablanca should also expect problems from us,” he continued.

Bianchi will be taking charge of only his second game at the club since he took over barely a month ago.

His only competitive game came against third division side Bujumbura FC in the Stanbic Uganda Cup, with Vipers taken before winning the tie via penalties.

Despite the crucial tie coming quite early in the Spaniard’s reign, he insists that they can work out an approach to give them a chance in the tie.

“Well we have not had too much time so far due to the players being in the national team, with some of them only returning a while ago,” Bianchi claimed.

“But the short time we have had, we have utilized it quite well. I am happy with the team; the players have trained with a lot of intensity and in general, I am happy with the performance of the squad.”

“We have worked out a way to approach the game, the analysis team has worked tremendously well to provide us with all the information that we need about them, and we have everything ready,” he continued.

Talisman Yunus Ssentamu is among the 18 first team players that have made the trip to Casablanca after recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out since November.

He is expected to partner with January signing Israel Desire Tety who will be keen to impress on his continental debut for the club.

Midfielder Robert Serge Mwenge is in line for his Vipers debut after missing out on the cup game in Hoima.

Martin Kizza is also part of the Vipers squad in Morocco with Livingstone Mulondo who has been thrown back into the squad after overcoming a fracture that saw him sit out for two months.

Probable Vipers Line Up

Fabien Mutombora (GK), Ashraf Mandela, Disan Galiwango, Murushid Juuko, Livingstone Mulondo, Bright Anukani, Siraje Sentamu, Robert Serge Mwenge, Yunus Sentamu, Milton Karisa (C), Israel Desire Tety