‘People aren't happy’ — Tunisian boss laments finishing behind Super Eagles in AFCON group

Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi has admitted his side failed to meet expectations during the AFCON group stage after finishing behind Nigeria.

Despite qualifying for the knockout rounds, the Carthage Eagles head into the last 16 under pressure to improve both results and performances.

Tunisia, champions of Africa in 2004, began their AFCON campaign brightly with a 3-1 victory over Uganda before dropping points in a 1-1 draw with Tanzania and suffering a 3-2 defeat to group winners Nigeria.

While the results were enough to secure passage to the round of 16, Trabelsi was candid in his assessment of the team’s displays.

“We are not satisfied with the overall performance and results of the Tunisian team in the tournament,” Trabelsi told reporters. “God willing, we will show our true face against Mali and achieve success.”

The Tunisian coach stressed that the mental side of the game will be crucial as the competition enters its decisive phase. “I hope the result goes our way as a new phase of the competition begins.

“The mental aspect is very important, and we've freed ourselves from pressure,” he added, urging his players to raise their level.

Trabelsi acknowledged growing frustration among supporters following Tunisia’s inconsistent group-stage showing. “I understand why people aren't happy with our performance, but we weren't that bad. We qualified for the round of 16, and gradually the performance will improve,” he said.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s last-16 tie against Mali, the coach warned that margins would be slim. “Mali is a big team with players of high technical and physical quality.

“The match will be decided by small details and mistakes, and there won't be many chances,” Trabelsi explained. “The most important thing is to take advantage of them.”

Defender Yan Valery echoed his coach’s optimism, describing the knockout stage as a fresh start. “We're ready to deliver a good match against Mali. This is a new tournament starting now,” Valery said, insisting lessons from the group stage could yet fuel a deeper Tunisian run.