One of Algeria's most famous football clubs is in a crisis and on the brink of total collapse. Club Chabab Riadhi Belouizdad is staring at relegation for the first time in their history and possible resultant chaos, after the league management imposed CAF Club Licensing and Financial regulation sanctions on it. This has affected the club's performance in the new season of the Algerian top division. CGTN's Edmond Nyabola has more.

In the streets of the Belouizdad neighbourhood in central Algiers, the writing is on the wall, the message, devout adoration and passionate following for a football club synonymous with Algeria's independence from colonization.

Club Chabab Riadhi Belouizdad was formed in this neighbourhood in 1962, the same year Algeria attained self-rule. They became the second outfit to win the Algerian Premier League in 1964/65, and retained the title the year after. They've won it four more times after that, and added seven Algerian cups. Their home ground, The 20th of August Stadium, is famed for hosting some of football's greatest, including Brazilian legend Pele.

ABDELMALEK MESSIBAH FAN OF CR BELOUIZDAD "That was the best CRB team, from 1962 to 1973. We had 11 players in the national team, playing against Brazilians. When Brazilian team Santos and Pele came to Algeria, it was the CRB players that played against them. When CRB started to decline, MC Alger became good, and when MC Alger started doing poorly, JS Kabyle became good and so on and so forth."

But now, the club of Hacene Lalmas, one of Algeria's all-time best players, finds itself on the brink of collapse, a one million dollars debt and a series of administrative failures have left the club in limbo. The result has been a poor start to the new season of the Algerian Premier League, leaving CRB in the relegation zone. And the fans are not happy about it.

"CRB is being oppressed by the league management. The league should not be political. The administrators make decisions in cafes, not at the league office. At the beginning of the season, we went to the league to express our displeasure but the office was closed. They didn't let us play with our top players at the start of the league and they deducted six points from us for alleged fiscal irresponsibility. We want those points back because that was oppression."

"They have to promote youthful players from around the neighbourhood. Administrators don't like to promote youth, they just like to buy players from elsewhere and spread corruption. This way CRB can be better, and return to its glory days."

But there is hope, as new management has taken over the club. President Said Allik's first order of business is to turn things around as quickly as possible, to avoid a catastrophe.

LAAROUCI MUSTAPHA CR BELOUIZDAD GENERAL SECRETARY "The new management is working to make things better. We will recruit some players for 2019. We will return to our rightful place. CRB is not used to the bottom of the league. CRB should be in the title race, playing the African and Arab cups."

EDMOND NYABOLA ALGIERS "It's the first time in their rich history that Club CRB finds itself on the brink of relegation, but the coach, the players and the management say they have to come together at this moment in time to pull the club back up to where it belongs."

MOURAD BENAMEUR CR BELOUIZDAD GOALKEEPING COACH "Where there's a will, there's a way. We will fight until the final minute to save the club, because it doesn't deserve to be in this situation. There's a new company that has invested in the club which will ensure the logistics and resources for the club. Now we have to win points, and that's the job of the players and technical staff."

And the journey back to the top has begun. In their last league match, CRB registered a 4-1 win over Mouloudia Olympique de Bejaia. And the fans are keeping the faith. E.N, CGTN, ALGIERS, ALGERIA.