Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis delivered a stunning blow on Monday by firing its French head coach Patrice Bommelle after the team lost the Tunisian league title to rival Club Africain.

Espérance fell 1-0 to Club Africain on Sunday in the penultimate round of the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1, a defeat that cost them the championship. In an official statement, the club confirmed Bommelle’s dismissal and handed the coaching duties to Christian Braconi until the end of the season.

Bommelle, 48, took charge of Espérance on February 21 of this year. He led the team to the semifinals of the CAF Champions League, where they were eliminated by Mamelodi Sundowns. Over 13 matches in all competitions, Bommelle recorded six wins, four draws, and three losses.