In the build-up to the highly anticipated quarter-final encounter against Guinea in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, DR Congo's coach Sebastien Desabre was resolute in his stance that his team would not embrace the label of favorites.

Despite an impressive victory over seven-time champions Egypt in the preceding round, the seasoned French coach dismissed any suggestion that his team should be considered frontrunners.

Desabre underlined that while eliminating a football powerhouse like Egypt was a significant accomplishment, it did not automatically confer favorite status on his team.

Speaking on the dynamics of the tournament, he remarked, "CAN any surprises? I would say that it is the CAN of work. All eight teams qualified for the quarter-finals are all good teams. This proves that it is working in all these countries, and that is good because it will lift African football to the top."

Addressing the perceived favoritism against Guinea, Desabre emphatically stated, "No! We are not favorites against Guinea. It's a fairly open match against a good team, with players who play for good clubs."

The coach revealed the team's approach, saying, "We will have a game plan that will be based on our strengths; we will perhaps adapt according to the few shortcomings that we can detect in their game if there are any, because it is a very complete Guinea team and which has had good matches."

Desabre concluded with a commitment to humility, acknowledging areas for improvement, stating, "We are used to showing humility because we can still improve; we still have room for improvement, even if we are also aware of our strengths."