Saturday showdown: Esperance Tunis takes on Pyramids in Rades

In the third round of the African Champions League group stage, Esperance Tunis is gearing up to host Egyptian club Pyramids at the Hammadi El Agrebi Stadium in Rades this Saturday.

Both teams are currently tied with four points, each having achieved one win and one draw in their initial matches of the tournament.

Esperance's head coach, Laurențiu Reghecampf, expressed his thoughts, stating, "We all recognize that our last Champions League match was below our standards, and we didn't perform as expected. We've analyzed the game and discussed it with our players. I'm not here to make excuses; we simply didn't play well. We need to step up our game and perform much better. Tomorrow night presents an opportunity for us. Playing at home gives us a significant advantage."

Pyramids began their campaign with a win against Angola's Sagrada, followed by a draw against Mali's Djoliba in an away match.

Goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy commented, "Esperance is a formidable team with vast experience in the African Champions League. While our team is new to these competitions, we have already faced challenges in African football. I hope our players stay focused and deliver a strong performance. I'm pleased to be in Tunis, and I wish us good luck."

On the flip side, Esperance secured a victory against Djoliba in their first match and drew with Sagrada in their second.

A win for either side would elevate them to the top of the group and secure a spot in the knockout stage.

However, Pyramids will be without their top scorer Feston Mayele, as well as Blatty Touré and Youssef Obama, due to injuries.

This match will be the inaugural clash between these two teams.