Fan Trouble Could Put Espérance de Tunis in CAF's Crosshairs

Crowd trouble prompts CAF review

Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) faces potential sanctions from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after crowd trouble broke out in the stands at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium in Radès during the CAF Champions League clash with Simba SC.

The CAF disciplinary committee is closely examining reports from the Radès match and will enforce crowd-conduct regulations according to CAF rules.

Several widely circulated clips show chaotic scenes that required swift security intervention to prevent a wider surge, a scenario CAF tends to treat seriously.

Penalties on the horizon and group standings

EST could face penalties ranging from fines to matches played behind closed doors or attendance restrictions in future games, depending on the investigation, referee reports, and match observer notes.

The club remains cautious because a negative decision could affect its attendance in upcoming continental fixtures, which are crucial to its campaign.

EST had earlier secured a vital victory to improve its group standing, moving to second with 5 points, behind Mali's Stade Malien on 7, then Petro Atlético on 4 and Simba on 0.

In football terms, if the crowd remains calm, perhaps the only thing louder than the chants will be the referee’s whistle—let’s hope it doesn’t turn into a bedtime alarm for the VAR.

And if the supporters keep their cool, EST might avoid needing bandages and instead focus on lifting a trophy someday.