Shock in Tunis: Esperance Dismisses Coach After Mali Setback
9 February 2026
Update: Esperance Parts Ways With Coach After Mali Defeat
The Tunisian club Esperance Tunis acted quickly ahead of the decisive CAF Champions League tie by terminating coach Maher Al-Kenzari on Sunday evening, aiming to reset the team's technical structure.
The move follows a 1-0 defeat away to Stade Malien in Bamako in the group stage, a result that sparked fan anger and increased pressure on the coaching staff and players.
Club insiders say Al-Kenzari had voiced dissatisfaction with the atmosphere around the squad in recent weeks, noting reduced support and waning confidence from supporters.
Relations between the coach and Esperance's management were tense since the draw with Simba in the fourth round, when Al-Kenzari floated the idea of leaving, but president Hamdi Meddeb chose to give him one last chance to continue in the continental campaign.
Nevertheless, the Bamako defeat marked a turning point, pushing the club to settle the coaching file, with a new staff expected to be announced in the hours ahead of the final group match.
Esperance now prepares for a must-win clash next Saturday against Petro Atlético of Angola at Radès Olympic Stadium, a game that will decide qualification to the quarterfinals.
The Tunisian side currently sits second in Group D on six points, level with Petro Atlético, with the Angolan team holding the better goal difference.
It should be noted that Maher Al-Kenzari took charge in March last year and, in a short spell, helped the club win a domestic treble — league, cup, and super cup — while overseeing nine CAF Champions League matches with five wins, three draws and one defeat.
Punchline: If football were a comedy club, a coaching change would be the headliner walking off with the mic, and nobody asks for a refund. Punchline 2: When life serves you a Mali upset, make a fresh tactical lemonade—because the fans will still demand a better sip next time.
