Esperance of Tunisia are no strangers to taking on South African opposition but a measure of the stature of the club is the fact all past clashes have come in the African Champions League.
It is rare that the club from the Tunisian capital play in anything but the top continental club competition and‚ as two-time winners‚ enjoy a reputation for consistency at the highest level.
They are in the country to take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the group phase of the Champions League in Atteridgeville on Friday night with both clubs level on top at the top of the Group C standings.
It will be the fifth meeting between the two clubs‚ who clashed previously in the group phase in 2000 and 2001. Honours are even with one win apiece and two draws.
Esperance also met SuperSport United in the group phase in 2004 and beat them home and away and in the knockout stage‚ before the groups‚ eliminated Kaizer Chiefs in 2005‚ albeit with blatant cheating that saw the Egyptian referee involved suspended for a year afterwards for his actions.
But Esperance’s last meeting with Mzansi opposition was one of South African football’s finest hours as Orlando Pirates forced a score draw away to advance to the 2013 Champions League final on the away goals rule in a gritty display of character away from home.
This is the 14th time in the 20 years since the Champions League was launched that Esperance have reached the group phase – a record they share with Al Ahly of Egypt.
For a long time‚ too‚ they were vilified as the most hated club in African football for the continued efforts to manipulate officials‚ referees and players and for the actions of their own staff.
They have few friends outside of Tunisia‚ a country split in half by those who follow the club and those who loath it.
Esperance were closely connected with the regime of Zinedine Ben Ali‚ the long time dictator whose overthrow in early 2011 sparked the Arab Spring and tumultuous changes since in the Arab world.
His son in law‚ Slim Chiboub ran Esperance‚ his connections to the top meaning everyone was in fear of him.
The club always seemed favoured in domestic competition and were rarely beaten.
Marginal decisions normally always went their way.
Chiboub went on to win posts at International Olympic Committee‚ Confederation of African Football and FIFA level‚ where he was on the all-powerful executive committee.
That meant he was able to influence the appointment of referees for key African club competition matches.
When the regime toppled‚ he fled to Dubai while the Swiss government froze his bank accounts.
He went home to face the music and was jailed but has now been pardoned but has nothing to do with the club.
Rich businessman Hamdi Meddeb is now in charge and brought back veteran coach Faouzi Benzarti for his fourth spell at the club in January this year.
Esperance’s 19-man squad for Friday includes a bevy of Tunisian internationals but just one foreign player midfielder Fousseny Coulibaly from the Ivory Coast.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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