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| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
ESPERANCE  Ben Cherifia Afful, Hichri, Banana, Chammam Traoui, Korbi Msakni, Darragi, Bouazzi Ndjeng | AL SADD  Mohamed Saqr Nabeel, Koni, Lee JS, Belhadj Alyazidi, Rizik, Al-Bloushi Keita, Niang, Khalfan |
Al Sadd only arrived in Japan in midweek and coach Jorge Fossati has admitted that it is not the ideal preparation for the clash. Senegalese striker Mamadou Niang is a doubt for the clash with an infection, however, most of the Al Sadd squad is available, with AFC Champions League final man-of-the-match Abdul Kader Keita revealing that he cannot wait to take to the field in Toyota.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- In Esperance's successful Caf Champions League campaign, they went unbeaten in the competition proper and didn't concede one goal at home.
- Esperance have been Tunisian champions a record 24 times.
- The Tunisian club's captain is Oussama Darragi, who is only 24 years old and has played his whole professional career with the Taraji.
- Al Sadd are the first Qatari team, club or country, to compete in a major senior international Fifa tournament.
- The Qatari club were also Asian champions way back in 1989, the only club from their nation to have achieved this.
- Al Sadd lost both legs of their 2011 AFC Champions League quarter-final to Sepahan but qualified after the Iranians were handed a 3-0 first-leg defeat for fielding an ineligible player.
The African champions are a cohesive unit who should be able to pull apart an Al Sadd who rely on individual brilliance on the counter-attack. Al Sadd keeper Mohammed Saqr had a blinder in the ACL final and he will need to reproduce such heroics for his side here.
Editor's Prediction
ES Tunis 2-0 Al Sadd 
