A wide smile and a relaxed demeanor were the order of the day for Miguel Cardoso at the post-match press conference tonight. And for good reason, his team had just clinched a precious victory against Etoile du Sahel (3-2) and extended their lead to 5 points over their closest rivals, US Monastir. This victory brings Espérance de Tunis a little closer to the league title.

Before addressing the match, the Portuguese coach wished to express his sincere condolences to two members of the club, section president Riadh Bennour and player Moez Ben Chérifia, who recently lost loved ones. "The whole club is deeply affected by these losses," he said. "We are a united family and in these difficult times, it is important to stick together."

On a purely sporting level, Miguel Cardoso was satisfied with the performance of his players. "There was a lot of emotion tonight, but we managed to channel it and play a very good game," he analyzed. "We controlled the match from the first to the last minute and never let Etoile du Sahel take the upper hand."

The coach did not fail to highlight the selflessness of his players. "We expended a lot of energy and we deserved this victory," he insisted. "My players were exemplary and I am very proud of them."

Asked about the difference with previous matches where Espérance had dropped points, Miguel Cardoso delivered a clear analysis. "Today, we respected our opponent," he said. "That's the key to success in this kind of match. When you take an opponent lightly, you put yourself in danger. But tonight, we were serious and rigorous, and that made the difference."

With this victory, Espérance de Tunis is in an ideal position to win the championship. But Miguel Cardoso does not want to get carried away and is playing it down. "We're going to put the league on hold for two weeks, and we'll come back after that to win it."

The Portuguese coach concluded his press conference with a strong message to his players and supporters. "I'm convinced that if we continue like this, we can go for the title," he said. "Together, we are stronger!"

Words that certainly resonated with the Espérance fans, who dream of seeing their club lift the trophy once again this year.