Tunisia: Esperance Sportive de Tunis receives a warning before the start of the championship
Esperance Sportive de Tunis lost the Tunisian Supercup last Saturday against Union Sportive Monastirienne. The loss of this title has highlighted many weaknesses, which raise fears of a championship and a complicated African campaign. This loss is a warning of what awaits the Blood and Gold throughout the season ahead.
Esperance Sportive de Tunis failed to add a 6th Supercup to their record. The bab souika club lost on penalties (1-1 / 5-3 TAB) against Union Sportive de Monastir. A setback that raises several questions about the form of the team before the start of the 2021-2022 season. Much more than defeat, it’s always the way that bothers you.
With this defeat, the technical staff and the blood and gold players must ask themselves questions. Does that mean that it is worrying? Yes, if the club wants to play the leading roles in the Tunisian Championship and especially in the African Champions League.
EST will have to fight to keep its title
This defeat is a kind of warning for the reigning Tunisian champion. Since 2018 the bab souika club has lost its splendor even if it continued to win local titles … But with the appalling level displayed against the Usémistes, the task of Ben Chrifia’s teammates promises to be difficult, especially as the technical level of some club executives regressed.
Despite an easily won league title last season, EST did not appeal. The club ended the season on a bad note (2 losses and two draws in the last 4 days). During these matches EST showed not only offensive shyness but also defensive feverishness.
This season and with a championship in two pools, the Esperanto club has no other choice but to raise its level of play if it wants to keep its title. The other clubs, like the CS Sfaxien, the African Club or the Etoile Sportive du Sahel intend to jump on the windfall and take advantage of the situation of the EST which is on the decline to win the title of champion and end the rule of blood and gold. Last season, the Tunisians won the Tunisian professional football championship for the fifth time in a row. Jaidi’s men are therefore warned.
The psychological shock made pschitt
Despite the arrival of new coach Radhi Jaidi to replace Mouine Chaabani, Esperance Sportive de Tunis is still unable to get its head above water. By losing to USMo, the Tunisian capital club went on to a fourth game without a win. Worse still, EST has won only one match in its last 11 meetings (in all competitions). A first since 2013!
For Jaidi’s first match on the Esperanto bench, we expected to see a well-organized, solid and aggressive team. But nothing has changed. Still the same shortcomings that have made the club blood and gold these last two seasons a captivable team, as evidenced by its latest results. But where is the touch of Radhi Jaïdi really? The coach must quickly rectify the situation, otherwise he will experience a difficult season.
Apart from the results, the quality of play of Esperance Sportive de Tunis is worrying, while several big games are looming for the coming weeks, starting with the Tunis Supercup (2020-21) against Club Sportif Sfaxien. Without forgetting the second preliminary round of the Champions League against Al Ittihad Tripoli.
Jaidi really has her work cut out for her to straighten the technical bar and form a cohesive group capable of playing on multiple fronts.
