“No easy groups — it’s 50–50 from the start” - Esperance coach Kanzari reacts to draw

Espérance coach Maher Kanzari has played down talk of favourable or fearsome draws, insisting his side’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group is “balanced” and will be decided “by the truth on the pitch.” 

Reflecting on the group following the draw, he said the field is tightly matched and that every team “has its chance,” framing Espérance’s task as a disciplined, game-by-game “mini-tournament.”

The Tunisian giants were placed in Group D alongside Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola) and Stade Malien (Mali) — a quartet rich in continental pedigree and travel demands. 

The group stage opens on 21–23 November, pauses for the AFCON after Matchday 2 (28–30 November), and resumes in late January for the sprint to the knockout places in mid-February.

For the four-time African champions, that staggered calendar underscores the premium on fast starts and efficient squad management.

Kanzari’s core message was parity. “I think the draw is fairly balanced and fair for everyone,” he told CafOnline.com, adding: “The level of the clubs is very close.” 

He noted that every opponent has already cleared two qualifying rounds. “The clubs that qualified over two rounds are already in the pots. That confirms they have quality.”

Experience, he conceded, will count — but not at the expense of performance. “Certainly, some clubs have more experience,” he said.

“All the clubs that are here have their chance, like everyone else.”

In practical terms, that means treating the six group games as a controlled sequence.

“We will try to play our mini-tournament the right way. We’ll be there and do what is required.”

Pressed on whether Group D skews easy or difficult, Kanzari rejected the framing. “There is no easy draw, there is no difficult draw,” he said.

“It is the truth on the pitch that will show us that.”

With Simba’s recent deep runs, Petro’s knock-out savvy and Stade Malien’s steel, Espérance face contrasting styles across three regions — a test of adaptability as much as firepower.

The coach’s final assessment was as pragmatic as his opening gambit. “At the starting line,” he said, “it will be 50–50 for everyone.”

For Espérance, that means reputation parked at the door, points gathered on the grass — and a familiar expectation that progress will be earned, not assumed.