Congo-Brazzaville coach Claude LeRoy hopes his in-depth knowledge of Saturday's African Nations Cup quarter-final opponents DR Congo will help his team to another surprise victory and a place in the last four in Equatorial Guinea.

The pair meet in a derby match in Bata (kick-off 16h00 GMT) that has the potential to be a classic and LeRoy may hold the upper hand in that he led DR Congo at the previous finals in South Africa two years ago with most of the same players.

"The Congolese defense, I know by heart because it's the one I had when I was in the DRC until Chancel Mbemba replaced Joel Kimwaki," LeRoy told reporters.

"I know the potential of this team, with Kidiaba, Issama Mpeko, Kimwaki, Mongongu, Kasusula, Mulumbu - even if injured - Makiadi, Mbemba and Bolasie.

"Many of them started with me, some in 2006, others in 2012 or 2013."

LeRoy says that in comparison his side are vastly inexperienced, but having ousted Nigeria in the preliminaries and won a surprise berth in the quarter-finals in Equatorial Guinea, anything is possible.

"We know it's going to be tough," the Frenchman said. "It's four million people against 70 million with players in all the top leagues.

"My players are beginners. They have the desire to win, after defeating the title-holders Nigeria in the qualifiers, Gabon and runners-up from last time Burkina Faso."

DR Congo will be favourites for this match but as recent history tells us, that means nothing against Congo-Brazzaville.

Coach Florent Ibenge says the DRC team will not change their approach much and will reply on the things they have done well so far that took them to second place in Group B at the finals.

"We are keeping faith in our strengths, even if we have weaknesses too. We are going to face a very compact team, with a highly complementary duo of strikers," Ibenge said.

"The Congo-Brazzaville is a formidable opponent with a coach (LeRoy) whose quality is more than confirmed. It will be a derby, it's really a family game, which will be very difficult, and we hope that it will be harder for them."

The match could be decided in a battle between the two main attacking threats on either side.

Congo-Brazzaville forward Thievy Bifouma has impressed and is leading the scoring charts with two goals so far, while on the DR Congo side their attacking midfielder Yannick Bolasie is a real threat.