An emotional and proud Miguel Cardoso faced the post-match press conference last night after his protégés' feat against Mamelodi Sundowns (1-0). A victory synonymous with qualification for the CAF Champions League final, the ninth in the history of Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

"This is a very important personal moment for me," confessed the Portuguese coach, his voice tinged with emotion. "But the credit goes above all to my players. They are the ones who did the job on the pitch, with courage and determination. I am only here to guide them and help them express themselves at their best."

Humble and lucid, Cardoso wanted to put the evening's achievement into perspective: "It's never easy to win here in Pretoria against a team of Sundowns' caliber. We suffered, yes, and there were moments of luck. But as I often say, luck only smiles on those who work hard. And believe me, my players have worked their socks off to get here."

Despite the immense joy of this historic qualification, Cardoso quickly called on his players to refocus: "We need to come back down to earth quickly and focus on our league championship. Winning the Tunisian championship title remains our main objective. We have an important match to play on Wednesday, and we'll need to be ready to give it our all once again."

A message also addressed to the Blood and Gold supporters: "I need you, the Espérance fans, to push us towards victory. Your support is vital for us to achieve great things. Together, we can write a new page in the history of this legendary club."

It was a galvanizing and unifying speech from Miguel Cardoso. A speech that reflects the state of mind of a group that is hungry for victory and is not about to stop there. Espérance Sportive de Tunis is on the march towards a new title, and Miguel Cardoso is at the helm of this conquering armada.