The Pre-Match War The atmosphere ahead of the highly anticipated “Classico” between Etoile du Sahel (ESS) and Esperance de Tunis (EST) has reached a boiling point. Following ESS’s official refusal of the appointment of referees Khaled Kouider and Oussama Ben Isahak, Esperance issued a sharp rebuttal on Friday, October 3, 2026, condemning what it calls “premeditated pressure” on the officiating crew.
EST: “We are the most affected by errors” In its statement, Esperance highlighted that it has been the primary victim of refereeing mistakes since the start of the season, citing numerous denied penalties. The club emphasized that despite these errors, it had remained silent to maintain sportsmanship—until now. “The attempt to influence the referees before the match is a well-known tactic that we firmly reject,” the statement read.
The Controversy Over Referee Khaled Kouider Esperance pointed out a historical grievance involving referee Khaled Kouider, who officiated their match on March 10, 2024. During that game, a legitimate goal for EST was disallowed, a decision widely criticized by analysts. EST questioned the wisdom of reappointing the same referee for the same fixture but clarified that they would not resort to “pre-emptive objections” like their rivals.
A Call for Neutrality: Foreign Referees Dismissing claims of the referees’ loyalty to EST as “pure fabrication,” the club suggested that the officials might actually favor the opposition. To ensure transparency and protect the integrity of the competition, Esperance officially requested the Tunisian Refereeing Committee to appoint foreign referees for all its upcoming major matches.
