Kanzari Lays Down Cardoso’s Knowledge About Esperance

Esperance Sportive de Tunis coach Maher Kanzari says Miguel Cardoso might have inside track of the information about the club, but that does not matter when these sides collide in the first leg of the CAF Champions League first leg of the quarter final at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday (15:00).

Last season, Cardoso was with Esperance, where he eliminated the Brazilians in the semi-finals. The Portuguese tactician is with Sundowns now and is set to face his former side in the quarterfinal.

As Cardoso was with the Tunisian giant last season, that means there’s a lot he knows about the club, which will make him prepare for the game very well.

However, Kanzari is confident that Cardoso’s knowledge about Esperance will not work. “Of course, Cardoso knows everything about us but it’s not the coach that will be playing,” Kanzari said.

“The truth of the game is that it’s the players that need to do all of their best to get results. The team will apply everything on the game to get the results.

“It’s not about the coaches even though we know each other, it’s players that will do the job.”

Esperance has the South African winger Elias Mokwana, who is familiar with SA football. Kanzari is happy with the progress of the Bafana Bafana winger in Esperance.

“He [Mokwana] is a quality player, no doubt about that,” the former Stade Tunisian coach added.

“He is playing for Bafana Bafana and teams like Esperance, that means he is really a good player. He’s been struggling in the first two or three months, but now he’s adapting himself, and there’s a lot of potential from him.

“He’s growing, and if he continues doing that of course, he can do very best. He is adapting to the culture of Esperance.”