CAF Champions League: CS Sfaxien Cautious Ahead of First Leg Clash with MC Eulma
Another North African derby is set to light up the CAF Champions League this weekend as Tunisia’s Club Sportif Sfaxien travel to Algeria to face MC Eulma in the first leg of the round of 16.
While MC Eulma are making their debut in the continent’s top club competition, they have already made an impression — most notably by eliminating Ghanaian giants Asante Kotoko in the previous round, with a remarkable performance away in Kumasi.
Despite their limited experience in continental competitions, Sfaxien are treating the Algerian side with utmost respect.
Speaking to Tunisian National Radio, CS Sfaxien assistant coach Anis Boujelben warned against underestimating their opponents. “They are 10th in the domestic league, but that doesn’t tell the whole story,” he said. “They’re only nine points behind the leaders ES Sétif and have just knocked out Asante Kotoko — a well-respected team in African football. Their current ranking doesn’t reflect their actual level.”
Sfaxien, one of Tunisia’s most successful clubs in African competitions, head into Sunday’s encounter with a strong pedigree and continental experience. However, Boujelben emphasised the need to bounce back from recent domestic disappointments and focus fully on this critical away fixture.
“We need to turn the page on the league and aim for a positive result. Playing away in Algeria will be tough, but our objective is to come back with something to build on for the second leg in Tunisia,” he added.
MC Eulma, meanwhile, will be looking to use home advantage to continue their impressive run. Their surprise win in Ghana has boosted confidence, and they are hoping to make further history by reaching the group stages in their first-ever CAF Champions League campaign.
Sunday’s match promises to be a tightly contested North African affair, with both sides looking to gain the upper hand ahead of the return leg in Sfax.
