Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, the makeshift striker who captained Hearts of Oak to the African Champions League title last year, is likely to be missing when the Ghanaian club begin the defence of their title this weekend. Osei Kuffour left this week for trials with Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukraine and will probably not make it back in time for the first round, first leg match against Etoile du Congo in Kumasi on Sunday.

Last year Osei Kuffour was switched from his customary midfielder role to central striker and scored 10 goals in the Champions League as Hearts won the continental title for the first time.

But the prospect of a possible move to European soccer has seen the Ghanaian international put trials in the Ukraine above what will not be an easy opening match in the defence of Hearts' trophy.

Osei Kuffour has said he would stay with Hearts for the world club championship in Spain later this year, even if the Ukrainian team wanted to sign him.

Team mate Yaw Amankwah Mireku returned from trials with the same club last week and played for Ghana in Sunday's win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in their African Nations' Cup qualifier in Accra.

Mireku missed the second leg of last year's Champions League final after being sent off in the first leg against Esperance of Tunisia.

Etoile du Congo warmed up for their trip to Ghana with a match against the national team of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, drawing 1-1 in Kinshasa last week.

STRONG CONTENDERS

Hearts have five former African champions to contend with in this year's Champions League field, including Esperance who they controversially beat in the two-leg decider.

Egypt's Al Ahli, Morocco's Raja Casablanca and ASEC Abidjan are among the strong contenders while TP Mazembe Englebert of DR Congo have also won the top club prize in Africa in the past. Esperance play this year without captain and goalkeeper Chokri El Ouaer who is banned after trying to fake an injury in last year's final.

Midfielder Walid Azaiez starts a four-match suspension for his sending-off against Hearts in a match in Accra last December.

Esperance host minnows JS Tenere of Niger at home in Tunis in their first round, first leg match this weekend. Al Ahli meet Red Sea of Eritrea in Cairo while Raja are at home to USFA of Burkina Faso, the army club who had to come through the preliminary round last month.

Raja lost in the domestic championship in midweek to COD Meknes but still remain the form team in the north African country.

ASEC, who won the Champions League three years ago, have a tougher opener against Stade Malien from nearby Mali. A near-full programme of fixtures is also scheduled at the first round, first leg stage of both the African Cup Winners' Cup and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup this weekend.

In the Cup Winners' Cup Okwahu United of Ghana have withdrawn for financial reasons and in the process picked up a fine and a three-year ban from continental competition. Their absence gives Evico of Gabon a berth in the second round in May. The CAF Cup this year has a vastly reduced field because of a new rule from CAF demanding a US$20,000 entry fee, which is used to pay the travel expenses of match officials. Entries have been restricted because of financial constraints all over the continent.