Champions League: Esperance Tunis sanctioned before its return quarter

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

Esperance Tunis (EST) was heavily sanctioned by the African Football Confederation on March 4, 2020, following the overflows against Zamalek in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League (C1). The coach of the Tunisian club, his assistant, and a player are suspended for the return match (March 6) and the three following games of EST in C1. Another player received 6 suspension matches. Tunisians will also have to pay a fine of US $ 140,000.

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The African Football Confederation (CAF) imposed heavy sanctions on Esperance Tunis (EST), two days before the Champions League (C1) quarter-final second leg against Zamalek. The disciplinary jury of CAF severely sanctioned, on March 4, 2020, the overflows occurring during and after the first leg in Cairo and won 3-1 by the Egyptian club.

The main coach of the reigning African champion, Mouine Chaabani, his assistant, Mejdi Traoui, the midfielder Abdelraouf Benguit, are suspended for the second act, scheduled for March 6 in Radès, as well as for the next three outings of the EST in C1. That is to say, they would also be absent in the semi-finals and the final, if the Tunisians qualified. Defender Khalil Chamam, meanwhile, suffered 6 matches in total.

All four would have attacked, to varying degrees, the referees of the match against Zamalek, according to the report prepared by the Moroccan Redouane Jiyed. " Despite the fact that the security forces have made great efforts ", the defendants " insulted with insulting and offensive words " the quartet, even " threatening " like Mejdi Traoui who allegedly " tried to […] to hit [an official] despite the intervention of the police ”. Khalil Chamam, he would have spit on one of the referees, hence a heavier penalty.

A fine of 140,000 US dollars

Officials say they were also thrown from bottles and cigarette butts and must have been confined to their locker room where a muscular reception committee awaited them. They also note the lighting of smoke bombs in the stands.

For all these reasons, the disciplinary jury added a fine of 140,000 US dollars which the Esperantists must pay within sixty days.

Tunisians can appeal these decisions, within 72 hours of notification of the sanctions. On February 28, the African champions protested vehemently following Zamalek's second goal and the expulsion of Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane.

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