Foreign players in Tunisia’s top-tier football club, Esperance, have abstained from attending team training sessions for the eighth consecutive day.
Their decision stems from a prolonged dispute over unpaid wages, lasting for over five months.
The quintet includes goalkeeper Emanuel Novo from Portugal, Samuel Sarfo from Ghana, Rodriguez Kossi from Ivory Coast, Mohamed Haydra from Benin, and Leroy Jack from Germany, who play vital roles in the team’s defense and midfield.
Their absence comes just three days before the team’s crucial match against Hajer in the 24th round of fixtures, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Esperance currently languishes at the bottom of the Yellow League table with only 17 points.
Revealing insights into the situation, the club’s CEO, Reda Daoud, attributed the crisis to the lack of financial support in the ministry’s strategy for club development.
He emphasized the challenges of meeting financial obligations amid revenue constraints, stating that efforts are underway to resolve the matter through dialogue with the players.
Additionally, sources disclosed that Hussein Dar, the club president, has dispatched letters to the players warning of countermeasures should they fail to return to training.
However, attempts to reach Dar for comment remained unanswered at the time of publication.
