Esperance Tunis punish Ali Youssif financially after red card against Al-Suwaihli

Esperance Tunis have decided to impose a financial penalty on Algerian international Youcef Belaïli following his dismissal during the match against Al-Suwaiqly in the first leg of the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, according to sources close to the club.

Sources have indicated that the penalty was based on the team's internal regulations regarding expulsions, while the management of Esperance Tunis has officially moved to contest the referee's decision, requesting the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to overturn the red card received by the player.

Blaïli was sent off after protesting against the decisions of Congolese referee Jean-Pierre Ngini, who awarded a penalty to the Libyan team during the second half of the match that took place last Sunday at the Misrata Stadium.

Ayoub Ayad converted a penalty in the 63rd minute, giving Al-Suwaihli a valuable victory by one goal to nil ahead of the return leg in Tunisia. The referee's decision angered Esperance Tunis players, leading to a second yellow card for Belaili, followed by a red card, which will prevent him from participating in the return match.

Esperance Tunis host Al Suwaihli on Saturday, October 24, at the Hamadi Agrebi Stadium in Rades, in the second leg of the preliminary round, under significant pressure to compensate for their first-leg loss and secure a place in the group stage.

Libya's team only needs a draw to secure qualification, while Esperance Tunis must win by two goals to guarantee direct passage. A victory by a single goal will lead the match to extra time, and then penalties if the aggregate score remains level.

The absence of Belaili adds to the difficulty of the Tunisian team's task, considering his role in the front line, which forces the coaching staff to search for a suitable replacement to compensate for him and achieve the desired result in front of Esperance Tunis fans in Rades.