Ameenu Shardow, the General Manager of Ghana Premier League outfit Dreams FC, has unveiled the financial challenges the club encountered in pursuing their 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup campaign. Despite facing setbacks from bankers who denied them loans for the venture, Dreams FC persevered and secured a crucial victory against Stade Malien in Bamako, enhancing their prospects of progressing to the competition’s semifinals.

Their triumph marked a significant milestone as Dreams FC became the first Ghanaian club in 24 years to clinch an away victory in the knockout stages of an African inter-club competition, garnering praise from football enthusiasts nationwide for their commendable performance.

However, Shardow revealed in an interview with Kumasi-based Nhyira Fm that the financial strain on the team was considerable, with some members of management initially hesitant about participating in the African campaign due to the perceived risks involved.

“Some of us in management were against the club’s decision to go to Africa because if you look at the record of Ghanaian clubs in recent times in Africa, we thought going to Africa would be counterproductive,” Shardow disclosed.

He further elaborated on the challenges faced, stating, “Some of our bankers denied us loans to embark on the Africa journey because they thought it was too much of a risk to invest in such a venture. It hasn’t been easy financially.”

Despite these obstacles, Dreams FC remains undeterred as they prepare to host Stade Malien at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg.