MAILSPORTS: Sublime skills and strategy, tactics and technique will be on display as the Phobians line up against Esperance of Tunisia at the imposing El-Manzah Olympique Stadium in Tunis on Saturday.

It is the first leg final of the 2000 CAF Champions League. The final of final comes up at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday December 17.

Esperance will adopt an all-out attack play, just as their national team with nine Esperance players, did in a friendly encounter against Sweden last Wednesday. It ended 1-1 draw. Against Hearts of Oak, emphasis will be on creating and scoring goals with a lively display of speed, skill and style from the wings. It is here that they need to learn a little humility since they have an exaggerated view of their talents, especially of Ali Zitouni, Julius Aghahowa, Adailton Pereira Dos Santos, Dal Silva Reinaldo (both Brazilians), Maher Kanzari, Gabsi Hassen, Hammami Taoufik and goalkeeper and inspirer Chokri El Ouaer.

Club President Slim Chiboub summed it thus: "We will win the cup. It is gratifying to win. We respect the principle of playing spectacular football. Victory cannot elude us." But playing away form home, Hearts of Oak have worked on a style, which is interesting, effective and offensive. It is a 1- 3-3-3 or 3-5-2 variation of Catenaccio which constitute marking, double marking and zoning. In this respect Hearts Players in numbers 6,10 and 8 will mark Ali Zitouni, Reinaldo Dal Silva and Pereira Adailton or Julius Aghahowa, respectively. And players in numbers 3,5 and 4 will give additional cover to their players in numbers 6,10 and 8, while also each covers a particular zone. Agyeman Duah will strengthen the defence in the middle covering Stephen Tetteh and Jacob Nettey. He also has a zone in front of goal.

This watertight defensive system, rigidly applied and complied with, is infuriating and frustrating to opposing attackers, since it provides cover in defence, defence in depth and pivot defence. Hearts will therefore resort to occasional fast breakaways for goals.

Esperance Coach Youssef Zouaoui is highly optimistic about the outcome of the game. But coach Jones Attuquayefio fears "the referee will dress the balance in favour of Esperance, by stopping play on any pretext, produce yellow cards for the least infringement and whistle for imaginary penalty." It is in this regard that the coach beseeched all Ghanaians to pray for them to come out safe and sound in this clash of the Titans.

Esperance will be represented by the following players: Chokri El Ouaer, Thabet Tarak, Azaiz Walid, Khaled Badra and Jaidi Radhi. The others are: Chihi Serajedine, Melliti Sofiane, Kanzari Maher, Ali Zitouni and Adailton Pereira dos Santos. The rest are: Dal Silva Reinaldo, Ben Ahmed Faycal, Julius Aghahowa, Hammami Taoufik, Sahbani Bechir and Gabsi Hassen.

Esperance Sportive de Tunis, known as the Blood and Gold, has won the Tunisian League 15 times. Esperance finished this year's League with 56 points from 20 games, finishing the domestic season unbeaten, scoring 50 goals and conceding only five.

Esperance's success has been built on quality players, nine of whom play in the national team, and a highly efficient management team led by president Slim Chiboub. Backed by a cheerful army of supporters, Esperance are by far the most popular club in Tunisia.

Hearts of Oak therefore have a hard and bumpy road to travel in their quest for the CAF Champions League. It is therefore a battle-royale.