MC Alger in African football

MC Alger, an Algerian professional association football club, has gained entry to Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions on several occasions. They have represented Algeria in the Champions League on seven occasions, the Confederation Cup on four separate occasions, the now-defunct Cup Winners' Cup only one occasion.

History
MC Alger whose team has regularly taken part in Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions. Qualification for Algerian clubs is determined by a team's performance in its domestic league and cup competitions, MC Alger have regularly qualified for the primary African competition, the former African Cup of Champions Clubs and CAF Champions League, by winning the Ligue Professionnelle 1. MC Alger have also achieved African qualification via the Algerian Cup and have played in the former African Cup Winners' Cup and CAF Confederation Cup. The first match was against Al-Ahly Benghazi in the African Cup of Champions Clubs, where they were defeated 3–2 and the first goal was scored by Abdelkader Aït Hamouda. On February 21, 2018, Mouloudia witnessed the heaviest victory against AS Otôho in the CAF Champions League with a score of 9–0. In the same match, Hichem Nekkache scored the first hat-trick by a player for Mouloudia in continental competitions. On March 6, 2021, MC Alger won in Thiès against Teungueth, putting an end to four decades of drought outside their lands, as the last away success in African competition dates back to 1979.

Historical treble
MC Alger from the first attempt the dream became a reality as Mouloudia won the first African Cup in the history of national football, and the idea of the African title immediately after the final match in the Maghreb Champions Cup in Tunisia against Club Africain. The discussions immediately began between Abdelkader Drif, then president of the MC Alger football section and the country's sports authorities who once an agreement had been reached, began taking steps with the CAF for the participation of the Algerian champion in the African competition. MC Alger's adventure at the 12th edition of the African Cup of Champions Clubs began in Benghazi with a narrow 3–2 defeat and a laborious 3–1 victory at Stade du 5 Juillet on May 13, 1976. Barely emerging from the first round unscathed, MCA had to face the famous Egyptian team of Ahly from Cairo for its first participation as well. The Mouloudéens, led by Ali Bencheikh, produced a sumptuous match and won by the score 3–0 on May 29, 1976. The trip to Cairo for the second leg match would be an opportunity to display its pretensions. the result in favor of Al Ahly on June 11, 1976. On September 10, 1976 during the month of Ramadan, a Kenyan club was on the menu for the green and red. The Luo Union suffered a heavy defeat 6–3 for the quarter-finals. The second leg match in Mombasa was a simple formality. In the semi-final, Mouloudia had as opponent the formidable Nigerian team of Enugu Rangers, finalist of the 1975 event, defeated by 2–0 in Nigeria. In the second leg match, the score of 0-0 that characterized the first period gave more determination to Omar Betrouni’s teammates to turn things around and achieve an unusual victory with a score of 3–0 and this is what gave Mouloudia a valuable ticket to the final. The first leg held in Conakry on December 5, 1976, was a nightmare on all levels, as the Algerian club suffered bitter humiliation. In a hostile environment a defeat that threatens his chances of winning the title.

On December 18, 1976, at Stade du 5 Juillet in the presence of the President of the Republic Houari Boumediene, the dream finally became a reality and the MCA achieved a resounding feat by overcoming the tough Guineans with a score of 3–0 and 4–1 on penalties. Mouloudia Chaâbia d’Alger became King of Africa by capturing the 12th edition of the defunct African Cup of champion clubs. As a reward former president Boumediene gave each player the keys to a Fiat 128.

"Abdennour Kaoua, Mohamed Ait Mouhoub, Abdenour Zemmour, Sadek Amrous, Bouzid Mahiouz, Mohamed Azzouz, Abdelwahab Zenir, Anouar Bachta, Ali Bencheikh, Omar Betrouni, Zoubir Bachi, Aïssa Draoui, Abdenour Bellemou, Abdelkader Aït Hamouda, Madjid Oudina, Bendi Abdellah Mohamed Réda, Braham Attar, Nacer Achari."

- List of African Cup of champion clubs.

Kwara United affair
After seven years of absence, MC Alger returned to continental participation through the CAF Confederation Cup portal and were surprisingly eliminated in the first round against Kwara United. More than a month after the first leg, the Disciplinary Committee of the Confederation of African Football, ruled to impose a very severe penalty on the MC Alger, namely the suspension of Merouane Abdouni for 3 years, Kamel Bouacida for 18 months for all continental competitions and a fine of 20 thousand dollars. The first, for “physical aggression, violent conduct and threats towards the refereeing body” and the second, for “physical aggression towards the referee”, according to the findings of the said commission. CAF does not stop there since it informs FIFA of the sanctions imposed on Abdouni and Bouacida with the prospect of possibly extending them to the international and national level. For their part, Réda Babouche, Smaïl Chaoui and Fodil Hadjadj each received two match suspensions for violent conduct and threatening the match referee. And to drive the point home, the president of the football section Khaled Adnane is suspended for six months for having returned to the playing area, despite his expulsion, to threaten the referee and make insulting remarks towards him.

Statistics by country
Statistics correct as of game against Wydad AC on May 22, 2021

By season

 * Information correct as of 22 May 2021.


 * Key


 * Pld = Played
 * W = Games won
 * D = Games drawn
 * L = Games lost
 * F = Goals for
 * A = Goals against
 * Grp = Group stage


 * PR = Preliminary round
 * R1 = First round
 * R2 = Second round
 * SR16 = Second Round of 16
 * R16 = Round of 16
 * QF = Quarter-final
 * SF = Semi-final

Key to colours and symbols:

African competitions goals
Statistics correct as of game against Wydad AC on May 22, 2021

List of all-time appearances
This list of all-time appearances for MC Alger in African competitions contains football players who have played for MC Alger in African football competitions and have managed to accrue 15 or more appearances.

Gold Still playing competitive football in MC Alger Statistics correct as of game against Wydad AC on May 22, 2021