Nigerian striker Emeka Opara is a doubt for Etoile ahead of the final

New Etoile du Sahel coach Herve Gauthier faces injury worries before the first leg of the Confederation Cup final against their Tunisian rivals CS Sfaxien.

His top-scorer in the competition, Nigerian Emeka Opara, faces a fitness test before the match on Saturday.

Etoile are already missing midfielder Mohamed Ali Nafka through suspension.

Sfax, by contrast, will welcome back Agyemang Opoko and Haitham Mrabet after injury.

Gauthier found himself in charge of the 2007 African champions league winners just two weeks ago after the shock dismissal of Michel Decastel for what the club called "indifferent results".

Opara missed training during the week with a sore foot.

The coach of Etoile's Tunisian compatriots Sfaxien, Ghazi Ghrairi, has left Aymen Ben Amor out of his squad for disciplinary reasons.

He is determined that the team will stick to their normal routine in the build up to the match.

"We have to play with the same application and tactics for all departments, attack, midfield and defence," he said.

Etoile are going for their third African title in a row, having won the Champions League last year and the Confederation Cup in 2006.

CS Sfaxien are the holders of the Confederation Cup from 2007.

The two teams met in the African Super Cup earlier this year when Etoile beat Sfaxien 2-1.

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