(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Doha: Egyptian giants and three-time champions Zamalek feel ‘ready' to play Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the CAF Super Cup clash under lights today at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium.
Zamalek, coached by Patrice Carteron, have arrived in Doha knowing their Tunisian rivals Esperance lost last year's title clash against Raja Casablanca of Morocco at the same venue.
Chasing their second CAF Super Cup title, Esperance are making their second successive appearance on Qatar soil after reaching the event summit clash last year also.
'It is difficult to talk about our readiness for this important match because we play a game every three days. We did not prepare specifically for this match, but we are ready. The players are motivated to play the game. We are so happy to be here, Carteron said yesterday.
'I have a lot of respect for the Esperance team and their coach. I have seen the coach keep the Esperance team at a very high level despite the changes at the level of players and this confirms the quality of his work ethic. For sure this match will be excellent and I am happy to face Esperance again, he added.
When asked about his feelings on playing in Doha, he said yesterday: 'The hosting of this match is perfect and wonderful. It is good for everyone to see the African teams playing here - it is an opportunity to come here because the match has a great TV interest around the region. The organisation in Qatar is wonderful.
'Big teams who look for titles don't fear anyone. Esperance is a great team, and they are African champions in the last two years, but Zamalek also is a great club and we fear no one, Zamalek coach Carteron said ahead of the final.
'We always look for victory in every game. We have to differentiate between facing Esperance in the Super Cup, and facing them again later in the Champions League, Carteron said.
'These are two totally different encounters and each game has its special circumstances, the coach added.
'Zamalek is doing very well this season. We focus on ourselves whoever our opponent is. We are playing to win and hopefully the Super Cup will be our gift for our beloved supporters, Carteron said.
Moine Chaabani, coach of Esperance, said in an interview prior to the final that his players are keen to add another CAF Super Cup title in the club's trophy cabinet in Tunisia.
Esperance have played four CAF Super Cup finals but won it only once - way back in 1995.
'Zamalek is a great team, they are five times African champions. But we are the last two seasons' champions and a great team as well. It's going to be an interesting duel, Chaabani said in an interview posted on cafonline.com
'We are not thinking of our CAF Champions League encounter now, all what's in our minds is the Super Cup game, the coach said.
Chaabani warned his players to be alert for a tough clash.
'I warned my players that this is not going to be an easy game. We have to take the lessons from what happened last year when we lost to Raja in Doha, Chaabani said of last year's final.
'Esperance hasn't won this cup since 1995. We will give our best to return home with the trophy this time, Chaabani added.
Esperance assistant coach Mejdi Traoui yesterday said: 'A 90-minute match with a very important African title win has been missing for Esperance for a long time. So we are fully prepared to play the game with our full strength and we have great desire to win. We are prepared because we are playing a very respectable team.
Traoui added: 'We know this Cup has been absent from our grasp for a long time. The Tunisian fans always support us in every game even when are playing outside our country. We love our fans supporting us in large numbers, this is a great honour for us.
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