كتب : Hatem Maher
Ahli, looking for a third successive Champions League title, face Sundowns away from home on Saturday in the first-leg of the competition's round of 16.
"We all know that Ahli is rated the third best team in the world. They have not been voted the third best for nothing. They have earned the right due to what they have achieved on the football field over the years," Manzini was quoted as saying by the club's official website.
"They have won, I’m told, a record 99 titles in their 100 years history. We have lost count of the number of domestic championships and cups.
"They have won the African Champions League a record five times and their greatest achievement was probably when they won bronze at the FIFA World Club Championships."
However, Manzini, who is the only club member who participated against Ahli in the 2001 Champions League final where the Egyptians won 4-1 on aggregate, is confident of his side's capabilities of dethroning the Cairo giants.
"They really deserve the respect they command all over the world. But, that is as far as it goes. We will accord them the respect they deserve but on Saturday we are going for victory – nothing less, nothing more."
"To us at Sundowns it is not about Ahli. It is all about the African Champions League. It is time we showed the world what we are capable of. We have worked very hard to reach this stage of the competition.
"What is more, we are playing at home and it is time we received the respect we richly deserve. We owe it to ourselves, our families and supporters to win this one. We have assembled a bunch of exceptionally talented players," he added.