Mahmoud maher
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
ESPERANCE  Ben Cherifia Afful, Hichri, Banana, ChammemTraoui, Korbi Msakni, Darragi, BouazziNdjeng | WYDAD  Bounou Lemsen, Rabeh, Amrani, Mssassi Berrabeh, Rami, Fettah Lakhel, Ajeddou Ondoma, Iajour |
The final change will be the incorporation of Harisson Afful or possibly Sameh Derbali at right back instead of Idrissa Coulibaly who didn't perform too well in Casablanca. It was initially thought that Derbali could get the nod ahead of the Ghanaian simply because he is more adept at tracking back, but it seems Maaloul wants to go for the jugular from the very beginning.
Meanwhile, the visitors are hardly at full strength. Not only are they missing star defender Ayoub Elkhaliqi, but they now won't be able to rely on their captain and rock between the goal-posts in Nadir Lamyaghri. Yassine Bounou will take his place. Further complicating matters is the fact that Congolese forward Fabrice Ondoma was called up by the Diables Rouges for a 2014 World Cup qualifier taking place on the same day as the Caf Champions League final.
It appears that Ondoma will risk a Fifa suspension and remain with his club side instead of honouring his national team call-up. Wydad officials are working feverishly to come up with an accord with the Congolese FA to allow him to dispute this heavily anticipated final.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- This will be the fourth time that Esperance and Wydad have faced each other in this tournament. All three previous matches have finished in draws.
- Esperance have been to the final of the Caf Champions League three times since their triumph against Zamalek 17 years ago, and have come up short on all those occasions.
- Wydad were originally knocked out in the preliminary stages by defending champions TP Mazembe, but were brought back into the fold when Les Corbeaux were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player. The north Africans defeated Tanzania’s Simba in a special play-off to determine who would take Mazembe’s vacant slot.
- This isn’t the only continental final being disputed by a Moroccan and Tunisian side this year: Club Africain and Maghreb de Fes face each other in the Caf Confederation Cup final as well.
Esperance will come out swinging just like Wydad did in Casablanca but this promises to be a very nervy affair because the Tunisians know that conceding an away goal could spell doom. Expect the Blood and Gold to score first and look for the cushion they'll probably need to hold off the Moroccans.
Editor's Prediction
Esperance sportive de Tunis 2-1 Wydad Casablanca 
