Bizertin, Al Ahly clash hangs in balance

TUNISIAN CLUB AC Bizertin may rule out their eighth final match of the Orange Champions League against Egyptian side Al Ahly due on Sunday because of internal chaos in the Tunisia Football Federation (FTF).

Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Rwandau2019s Olivier Karekezi plays for AC Bizertin of Tunisia.

Sunday, Champions LeagueBizertin vs. Al Ahly

TUNISIAN CLUB AC Bizertin may rule out their eighth final match of the Orange Champions League against Egyptian side Al Ahly due on Sunday because of internal chaos in the Tunisia Football Federation (FTF).

The development comes at a time when the board of Tunisian side CA Bizertin confirmed that they will suspend all their football activities in the domestic league and African Champions League.

The Federation Tunisienne de Football picked Club Africain to qualify to the last stage of the Tunisian League instead of Bizertin even though they both have the same points [29] and are in the second place in the league.

Bizertin vice president Amir Al Jezeri said, "We decided to freeze all our activities , will not play in Tunisia and in the African Champions League.”

"What happened from the FTF is not fair, we have the same points with Club Africain. They claim that there was cheating with match results but that is not true,” Amir said.

Amavubi skipper Olivier Karekezi who plays for Bizertin told Times Sport yesterday that even though there are some misunderstandings between the club and federation, players were still in camp preparing the Al Ahly clash.

"We are preparing the Al Ahly match and nothing has been communicated to us. We are aware of the issues that are going on. I hope I will be able to know exactly the status of our champions league match tomorrow [today] after training,” added Karekezi.

The Egyptian side Al Ahly is supposed to travel to Tunisia today to play against Bizertin in the African Champions League on April 21.

Al-Ahly, six-time ACL winners, face Tunisia’s CA Bizertin in the first leg, who qualified after seeing off Zimbabwe’s Dynamos 3-1 on aggregate.

Bizertin, who have previously participated once in the African Champions League, in 1985, granted Tunisia its first continental title when the club grabbed African Clubs Cups Championship in 1988.