Maaloul dumps Esperance after Al Ahly loss

Nabil Maaloul, coach of Esperance during the CAF Champions League 2022/23 Semifinal 1st Leg match between Esperance and Al Ahly held at the Rades Olympic Stadium in Rades, Tunisia on 12 May 2023 ©Mehrez Toujani/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Sunday May 14, 2023. 15:05

Esperance de Tunis head coach Nabil Maaloul has resigned from his position after his side’s heavy defeat to Al Ahly.

The Egyptian football heavyweights thrashed Esperance 3-0 in a CAF Champions League semi-final first-leg match at the Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi in Tunisia on Friday night.

The Tunisian tactician said he made the decision ‘in the best interest of the club’ in the following statement with Al Ahly scheduled to host the Tunisian champions in Egypt on May 20.

“I decided to submit my resignation to the club president with the best interest of the team at heart,” Maaloul said in his resignation statement.

“I understand the sadness and disappointment of Esperance supporters after this loss and I apologize to all of them for not being able to bring joy to their hearts.

“In the recent period, the task has not been easy for my technical staff and me and the players as well. I tried everything in my power to find solutions.”

The winner of this semi-final tie will take on either South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns or Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, who are the defending champions, in the two-legged final next month.