Esperance sack coach after Downs blow and league collapse

Espérance de Tunis have reportedly made a decisive decision regarding head coach Patrice Beaumelle following the club's failure to win the league title and their CAF Champions League exit at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns.

Beaumelle joined the Tunisian giants in February this year after parting ways with the Angola national team, but his stint lasted only four months before he was dismissed.

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The French coach's departure comes after Esperance failed to secure the 2025/26 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 title, losing out to rivals Club Africain following a 1-0 defeat in the Tunis derby on Sunday.

The Blood and Gold currently sit second on the standings, five points behind Club Africain, who have already been crowned champions with one game remaining this season.

Furthermore, reports suggest that Esperance's Champions League semi-final exit to Sundowns did not sit well with the club's management, with Beaumelle's future believed to have depended on winning the league title.

Esperance confirmed his departure shortly after missing out on the championship and announced Christian Braconi as interim coach until the end of the campaign.

"The Tunisian athlete Al-Taraji informs his loved ones that at the end of coach Patrice Boumel's experience with the first team, that coach Christian Braconi will take over the supervision of the team until the end of the current season," the club said in a statement.

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During his spell at Esperance, Beaumelle oversaw 13 matches across all competitions, recording six wins, four draws and three defeats.

For Esperance to qualify for next season's CAF Champions League, victory against US Ben Guerdane in their final league match is crucial, unless third-placed CS Sfaxien fail to beat ES Sahel.