By Mark Gleeson BBC Sport, Cape Town

Zamalek should beat Simba

Half of the teams that competed in last year's lucrative group stage are likely to be there again.

But they must get past tricky opponents in the second round, which starts this weekend.

Cup Holders Zamalek of Egypt, last year's semi-finalists Asec Abidjan, Jeanne d' Arc of Senegal and Esperance of Tunisia appear solid bets to stay in the race.

But with each passing year, the competition for Champions League riches gets more intense and there is always room for an upset.

In theory, Zamalek should have no problems beating Tanzania's Simba.

The East African club came through from the preliminary round without scoring a goal in regulation time.

They won their first round match against Santos of South Africa on penalties in extra time.

Zamalek are in Dar-es-Salaam for the first leg with striker Hossam Hassan back from injury but captain Hazem Imam is absent, after picking up yet another knee injury in league action on Monday.

Asec are at Moroccan champions Hassania Agadir, which is something of an unknown quantity.

Jeanne d'Arc would be tough for Enyimba

But the North Africans currently lead their domestic championship as they seek a second successive Moroccan title.

Asec's 17-man team has greatly changed from last year, after the sale of key players and the arrival of new coach Basile Aka Kouame.

Senegal's Jeanne d'Arc meet Nigeria's Enyimba, who fell at the second round of the Champions League last year.

The Aba team are desperate to do better this time.

But the month-long break in the Nigerian league season will not have been of much benefit in preparing against a Jeanne d'Arc side that were gritty competitors in last year's edition.

Esperance do not play at the weekend, as they await the identity of their second round opponent.

They face the winner of Saturday's tussle between St Louisienne of Reunion and Zimbabwe's Highlanders.

Ghana's Hearts of Oak are veteran campaigners but have not been in the last eight since they won the title in 2000, while USM Algiers played in the first Champions League in 1997.

Hearts are keen to regain their place

Hearts' disappointing start to the new Ghanaian season will have not gone unnoticed by the Angolan outfit AS Aviacao, who host the West Africans in Luanda.

USM Algiers just won the Algerian league title and scored eight goals in their last league match of the season.

That will certainly make them confident for the trip to Stade Malien in Bamako.