OC Safi coach Chokri Khatoui slams refereeing after painful CAF semi-final exit

Head coach Chokri Khatoui did not hold back in his criticism following Olympique Safi’s failure to reach the CAF Confederation Cup final, directing sharp remarks at the officiating team after their clash with USM Alger.

Speaking after the match, Chokri Khatoui questioned the standard of refereeing on the continent, stating, “With this level of refereeing in the African continent, it is difficult for us to develop.”

Reflecting on the key moments of the encounter, he added, “Before the penalty kick that changed the course of the match, we had 3 or 4 clear scoring opportunities, but we did not take advantage of them, then we conceded a goal and came back in the score.”

The Tunisian tactician also pointed to the chaotic build-up to the game as a major factor, highlighting the repeated delays that disrupted his team’s preparation.

“My team faced abnormal circumstances from the beginning,” he explained. “The match was supposed to start at 8:00 PM, but we had to wait until 9:30 PM, and we had to do our warm-up 3 times because of the repeated postponements, which confused the players and affected their mental and physical readiness.”

Meanwhile, coach Khalifa Zakaria Aboub, speaking during a training session, suggested that fortune was not on Safi’s side, noting that the team struggled to find a decisive second goal despite their efforts.

The sense of frustration was evident, with players such as Youssef Al-Muti left to reflect on what might have been after a night filled with tension and missed opportunities.