As Al Ahly and Esperance gear up for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final, the differing coaching styles of Marcel Koller and Miguel Azevedo Cardoso take center stage.
Koller, Al Ahly’s seasoned Swiss coach, has steered the team towards a possible 12th continental triumph.
This season, the reigning champions boast an unbeaten streak of 12 matches, with eight victories and four draws.
Al Ahly’s dominance is further highlighted by their 20-game unbeaten run in the CAF Champions League, a record unblemished since March 2023, when they last fell to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Under Koller’s guidance since September 2022, Al Ahly has been formidable, recording 18 wins, 7 draws, and just 2 losses in 27 matches.
His tactical acumen was on full display during last season’s semi-finals, where Al Ahly bested Esperance in both legs.
Victory in this final would not only give Al Ahly back-to-back titles for the fourth time but also solidify Koller’s legacy with his second CAF Champions League title, adding to his collection of one Egyptian League, three Egyptian Super Cups, and two Egyptian Cups.
Facing Koller is Esperance’s Miguel Azevedo Cardoso, who was appointed in January 2024. Cardoso seeks to lead the Tunisian side to their fifth CAF Champions League title, aiming to avenge last season’s semi-final losses to Al Ahly.
Cardoso’s impact at Esperance has been profound, with 9 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses in 14 matches. His CAF Champions League record is unblemished, with five wins and one draw, and notably, his team has kept clean sheets in all these matches.
Esperance’s semi-final victories over Mamelodi Sundowns underline their resolve to dethrone Al Ahly. A title win would mark Cardoso’s first major trophy, a significant achievement for his inaugural African coaching venture.
The final promises a captivating duel between Koller’s disciplined Al Ahly and Cardoso’s spirited Esperance, as both teams vie for continental glory.
