Esperance seeks revenge from Ahli in the "African Champions"

Tunisian Premier League champions Esperance will seek revenge on Egypt's Al Ahly, who eliminated them from the CAF Champions League last season, and reach the final of the continental club championship when they meet tomorrow in the first leg of the semifinals in Rades. The second leg will be played on January 19 at Cairo Stadium. The match will be an opportunity for Esperance to get back on the winning path, while the visitors will be looking to take advantage of Esperance's shaky form and come back with a positive result ahead of the return leg in Cairo.
Esperance narrowly qualified after drawing 1-1 with JS Kabylie in a match that witnessed great violence between the public and security and secured qualification after winning the first leg in Algeria 1-<>.

On the other hand, Al Ahly succeeded in crossing to the semifinals after a goalless draw in the second leg of the quarter-finals after beating Moroccan Raja 2-<> in the first leg. Esperance is going through a difficult period after receiving a second consecutive loss in the Tunisian league against Africain, after falling to Sfaxien in addition to receiving a painful blow due to the injury of a number of the team's pillars before facing the Egyptian Al-Ahly.

Esperance are fifth in the domestic league stage with 11 points from six games after two wins and three defeats to one draw. The sons of coach Nabil Maaloul will play the semi-final match suffering from a numerical shortage due to the loss of the services of Libyan Hamdoun Al-Houni, Algerian Riyad Ben Ayad, main goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia, Ghilane Chaalali and Hani Amamou due to injury in exchange for the return of midfielder Moataz Zadam and player Rashad Arfaoui.

Al Ahly enters the Egyptian Super Cup with high morale against Esperance, who will play at home, but in the absence of its fans due to the sanctions imposed by the African Union (CAF) on the team against the background of the events that took place in its match against JS Kabylie. The CAF disciplinary committee decided to deprive Esperance of its fans in four matches after the riots that occurred during the youth match, while postponing the execution of the penalty in two matches, provided that the club does not commit any violations within a year. However, if any transgression is committed within the said period, the penalty shall be carried out in full. The Tunisian club was also fined $300,<>.