The objective for this season is clear - Aziz Ki

Last season, he was key in Young Africans’ venture into the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, but Yanga talisman, Stephane Aziz Ki is looking to better that result in this campaign.

The Burkinabe international was one of the standout players for the Tanzanian giants and garnered widespread interest from across the continent.

However, the 28-year-old has pledged his full commitment to Wananchi, as he looks to lead the club to continental success.

Ki provides insights into the club’s ambitions, Miguel Gamondi’s impact and the secret behind Yanga’s success.

Q: There were expectations for Yanga to do well in this season’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. The team started off really positively.
A: It will always be like that because Yanga have to show that we want to be at the top. We have to take every game like a final. It was the first CAF game for the season and the message is clear; we want to play at a high level from the first minute to the last. I'm happy about the first game and I'm very proud of the team but it's not finished.

Q: What has been the motivation for the team to start as well as they have?

A: Honestly, the goal is to be better than the day before. The team wants to do better than the last game, we want to prove ourselves because the coach has done his best to prepare us in the training sessions. It's always important to have the support of your fans and the team have to play well all the time to make them happy in return.

Q: Your leadership has really been showing on and off the pitch. How do you handle the expectations as the team’s leading player?

A: I have to be an example and help everyone because I always say that football is about 11 vs 11 on the pitch. There's nobody who is better than the other. You are only better when you have your teammates around you. You have guys who help you score or the goalkeeper who prevents goals from going in. For me it's always important to give this kind of confidence to everyone, even the players who aren't part of the team at times - everyone is important for me. That's why I always have to be committed on the pitch.

Q: The coach, Miguel Gamondi, what type of impact has he had on the team since taking over? 

A: Honestly, Gamondi changed everything in the team, especially the mentality of the players because you can see that the team wants to score more goals in every game. Sometimes you can get complacent when you are winning but he pushes us because he wants us to be better and to take every game seriously, which is a good mentality to have as players. We have to be grateful to him because he helped me as an individual and the team as a whole to be better every day.

Q: Based on how well you’ve started, what are the main objectives of the team in the CAF Champions League this season?

A: The objective for the season is clear; to go far. By that I mean minimum semi-final. That is what everyone is working towards. We have to be ready to play every game like a final if we want to be regarded as the best in Africa.

Q: There seems to be a good camaraderie within the team. What would you say is the secret behind that?

A: I'd say the friendship in the group. Because everyone is like family. You can see from the management, and it filters down to us as players. Everyone is together, which is very important for the team. Last season the team did well because everyone worked towards the same objective. That was the key.

Q: Last season saw you really step up to the fore as your performances earned you wide acclaim across the continent…

A: I played at this level last season because of the help of the team. They gave me everything I needed, that is why I don't think about myself - I always think about the team. Because I can't win alone. I won't say that I'm the best, the team is the best. I just want to be as good as they are.

Q: How much of this stems from the bright performances we saw from you in the AFCON tournament with Burkina Faso?

A: It's always good to play in competitions like the AFCON. You play against very big teams with players who play at the highest level in Europe and in Africa. So, it's always good to play against them. It helps your confidence and you also learn in every game - whether you win or lose. I saw this in the AFCON and I was able to help my team.

Q: Finally, what is your message to the Yanga supporters?

A: I always say they have to believe in the team, the staff and in the players. Because everyone here gives everything to see the supporters happy. Whatever we do is not only for the players but for the Wananchi family. We all have the same dreams to go far in the league and in the Champions League. We need to go with the same power and the same confidence.