How do I create an event trigger system for a Discord bot?

I am making a card game and I am having issues implementing "effects" and effects that are continuous.

How can I get effects to activate at the right times, before and after an attack does damage as well as apply a continuous effect through out each phase? Is there a way I can implement some sort of checklist system before and after attack?

I've tried 5 times with this, and this is just my latest attempt, How can I coded this system without making if-code mess. Any tips or help, would be greatly appreciate it! (as this is my first time making a trading card game.)

For context I am making this into a Discord bot!

What I need help with:

• A System where I can check effects before, during and after attack
• A system where I continuous effects are applied before during or after an attack
• Applying the effect to the right target or to both targets

#while both players have health
# apply CONTINUOUS EFFECTS THROUGH OUT LOOP
while player1.hp > 0 and player2.hp > 0:
            print("test battle in progress")
            #class Card(object):
              #def __init__(self, name, hp, cardType, effect, attacks, description, ability):

            # Instantiate test subjects
            player1 = Card("Pinata Trent", 9, "Strong", None,
                       [Attack("Trample", 24, 2, None, None, None),
                        Attack("Body Bash", 62, 4, "selfDamage", 2, "self")],
                       "Trent card", None)

            player2 = Card("Barbarian", 10, "Strong", None,
                       [Attack("Head Bang", 68, 1, "selfDamage", 1, "self"),
                        Attack("Barbaric Swing ", 82, 2, None, None, None)],
                       None, None)


            #randomly choose a move for both NPC
            player1_move = random.choice(player1.attacks)
            player2_move = random.choice(player2.attacks)

            # Who ever player has the fastest attack value attacks first
            first_attack = firstAttack(player1_move, player2_move)

            if first_attack == 1:
                print("player 1 attacks first")
                await apply_damage(player2, player1_move)

                # Apply effect of attack after or before attack
                if player1_move.effect is not None:
                    print("player 1 attack effect activates")
                    player1 = player1.attack_effect(player1_move.effect, player1, player1_move.effectDamage)
                print(str(player1.hp) + " // " + str(player2.hp))

                # Player 2 attacks!
                if player2.hp > 0:

                    
                    player1.hp -= player2_move.damage
                    if player2_move.effect is not None:
                        print("player 2 attack effect activates")
                    player2 = player2.attack_effect(player2_move.effect, player2, player2_move.effectDamage)
                print(str(player1.hp) + " // " + str(player2.hp))
                await asyncio.sleep(2)

            elif first_attack == 2 and player2.hp > 0:
                print("player 2 attacks first")
                player1.hp -= player2_move.damage
                if player2_move.effect is not None:
                    print("player 2 attack effect activates")
                    player2 = player2.attack_effect(player2_move.effect, player2, player2_move.effectDamage)
                print(str(player1.hp) + " // " + str(player2.hp))

                # Player 1 attacks!
                if player1.hp > 0:
                    player2.hp -= player1_move.damage
                    if player1_move.effect is not None:
                        print("player 1 attack effect activates")
                        player1 = player1.attack_effect(player1_move.effect, player1, player1_move.effectDamage)
                print(str(player1.hp) + " // " + str(player2.hp))
                await asyncio.sleep(2)

attack move class:

class Attack:
    def __init__(self, name, speed, damage, effect, effectDamage, target):
        self.name = name
        self.speed = speed
        self.damage = damage
        self.effect = effect
        self.effectDamage = effectDamage
        self.target = target

    def attack_effect(self, tag, target, x):
        """
        todo: card attack effects
        """

        if tag == "selfDamage":
            target.hp -= x
            return target

        if tag == "forEachDamageMoreDamage":
            totalDamageTaken = target.starting_health - target.hp
            for i in target.attacks():
                if i.effect == "forEachDamageMoreDamage":
                    i.damage += totalDamageTaken
            return target

card class itself

class Card(object):
    def __init__(self, name, hp, cardType, effect, attacks, description, ability):
        self.name = name
        self.hp = hp
        self.starting_health = hp
        self.type = cardType
        self.attacks = attacks
        self.original_attacks = attacks
        self.effect = effect
        self.description = description

attack speed calculation

        def first_attack(player_atk_speed, opponent_atk_speed):
            if player_atk_speed.speed > opponent_atk_speed.speed:
                return 1
            elif player_atk_speed.speed < opponent_atk_speed.speed:
                return 2
            else:
                # decides who attacks based on random generation if attack speeds are EQUAL
                return random.randint(1, 2)