Esperance Sportive de Tunis have received a major boost ahead of their crucial second-leg clash against Swehly, with South African attacker Lucas Ribeiro reportedly returning to the squad after missing the first encounter through injury.

Ribeiro was unavailable for the first leg in Libya, where Esperance suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Swehly. The result leaves the Tunisian giants under pressure to produce a stronger performance in the return fixture if they are to keep their hopes alive.

His reported return comes at a particularly important time for Esperance, who will also be without Youcef Belaili after the attacker received a red card in the first leg and was suspended for the return match.

Belaili’s absence removes an experienced attacking option from the team, potentially increasing the responsibility on Ribeiro and the other available forwards to create opportunities and help the side overcome the deficit.

Ribeiro’s attacking qualities could prove valuable as Esperance look to find a way through Swehly’s defence. However, his impact will depend on his fitness, whether he is selected to start and how much playing time the coaching staff considers appropriate following his injury.

For Esperance, the challenge will be to balance attacking urgency with defensive discipline. Having conceded once in Libya without scoring, they must find a way to improve their attacking output while avoiding another setback at the back.

Swehly, meanwhile, will aim to protect their advantage and frustrate their opponents as they seek to progress.

Ribeiro’s availability could therefore become an important talking point ahead of the encounter, particularly given Belaili’s suspension and the pressure surrounding the Tunisian side.

Nevertheless, his return alone does not guarantee a turnaround, and Esperance will need a collective performance to reverse the first-leg result.

All attention will be on whether Ribeiro features and whether Esperance can deliver the response required in this decisive second-leg encounter.

Source : https://x.com/MickyJnr__/status/2114013688927564031