Clubs are allowed to register new players for the group stage

Nigerian club Kano Pillars are looking to add players to their squad ahead of the group stage of the African Champions League.

At the draw in Cairo, club official Danlami Hamza told the BBC's African sports programme Fast Track that Pillars intend to build on their third round defeat of Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

"Its not a bad draw at all, we are optimistic, we will go back to the drawing board and reinforce our team and we are extremely hopeful," he said.

"It's exhilarating to know that we've come this far against a team like Al Ahly but we're not resting on our laurels."

Clubs qualifying for the group stage are allowed to register up to five new players, provided that their total squad does not exceed 30.

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW Group A: Al Merrikh (Sudan), Al Hilal (Sudan), Kano Pillars (Nigeria), Zesco United (Zambia) Group B: Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia), Heartland (Nigeria), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Monomotapa (Zimbabwe)

The coach of Zimbabwean club Monomotapa, Rodwell Dhlakama said that he would also like to sign new players.

"At this stage we are now talking about serious competition and the level of competition and expectations now go higher," he told the Zimbabwean daily newspaper, The Herald.

"I would certainly like to beef up the squad for the mini-league."

A member of the Sudanese FA present at the draw was not disappointed that the country's two clubs were put together in the same group.

"Many people are expecting this is very difficult for the two clubs but in my opinion it will be good for them because they are the two parts of our derby in Sudan," said Magdi Shams El-Din.

"I think we have a good chance of having two teams in the semi-finals.

"I'm very proud that we have reached this stage of this competiton as it proves we are improving the quality of our football."

The team manager of DR Congo club TP Mazembe, Frederic Kitengizi, told BBC Sport that he is concerned about the difficulties of travelling from Lubumbashi.

"The people in Congo are happy with their team because TP Mazembe are performing now.

"The difficulty we have now is to travel from Congo to Tunisia, it's not very easy, a very difficult journey."

The group matches begin on the weekend of 17-19 June, and run through until mid-September.

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