Esperance Sportive de Tunis’ 2019 CAF Champions League celebrations were cut short after receiving news that the final is yet set for a replay.

According to the statement issued by CAF executive committee from a meeting held in Paris on Wednesday June 5th, the 2019 Total CAF Champions League final between Wydad Casablanca and Esperance de Tunis will be replayed at a neutral ground.

“The conditions of game and safety were not met during the 2nd leg of the CAF Champions League final held on May 31, 2019 preventing the match from coming to an end,” the CAF executive committee statement reads.

The Tunisian giants had retained the title they won last year after a 1-0 win over Wydad Athletic Club in the second leg on Friday at the Olympic Stadium in Radès.

With Esperance leading the game 1-0 and 2-1 on aggregate, Waydad scored a goal that was ruled out for offside in the 58th minute of the game.

Tempers rose and the Moroccans refused to return to restart the game, even efforts from the CAF hierarchy led by the president Ahmad Ahmad could do little to change their minds as they walked off the pitch.

To make matters worse, the Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR) technology which was set to be used for the final was not used due to technical issues at the Stade Olympique de Radès.

For that matter therefore, Wydad Casablanca decided to take their complaint to FIFA and the Court of Arbitration of Sport, immediately CAF announced the emergency meeting to discuss the outcome of the fixture.

In the meeting, the majority members of the executive committee voted for the final tie to be replayed as security measures weren’t fulfilled by the hosts, CAF has therefore ordered Esperance to return Champions league trophy and medals.

The game will be replayed on a neutral ground outside Tunisia after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on the date and venue yet to be determined, the second leg results which was played on Friday, May 31 were cancelled out.