Comeback in the Making: Ahly’s Return, Big Names Out of the Super Cup, and a Historic Showdown

Progress on key players and training updates

Karim Fouad, the right back from Ahly, began reintroducing ball work in training on Wednesday morning as part of the setup for the match against Al Ittihad in the Egyptian Premier League. A source told Kooora that eight players were left out of the squad for the Al Ittihad game: Hamza Alaa (not locally registered), Ashraf Dari, Karim Fouad, Hussein El Shahat, Mohamed Abdallah, Ahmed Abdeen, Ahmed Rida, and Mohamed Shreef. The eight were at the Moqtar Al-Tetsh complex from 9:30 am, with specialized drills starting at 10:00 am. Fouad started individualized ball work after recovering from injury, a hopeful sign for fans ahead of the Egyptian Super Cup in the UAE scheduled for 6 to 9 November.

The same report notes the team’s plans for the UAE showdown while maintaining a cautious approach to fitness and readiness. The coaching staff are monitoring the players’ progress as they prepare for a potential role in the tournament, balancing recovery with the demands of high level competition.

Updates on Dari and Imam Ashour; out of the Super Cup for now

Regarding Ashraf Dari, the Moroccan defender, the source indicated a strong improvement after an intensive rehab program including two daily treatment sessions. An imaging test is set for Saturday to determine when he can rejoin training with the group, with positive signs suggesting a gradual return starting next Tuesday. On Imam Ashour, the midfielder is closely watched and undergoing precise medical evaluation to decide on a return to collective training. He remains isolated at home due to virus A, with a prior test showing notable improvement though not yet normal. He needs a rigorous physio plan given the period away from training and sport guidelines restricting activity.

The updates underscore Ahly’s careful threshold for bringing players back, especially when competition pace and tournament timing demand both speed and caution.

Al Ahly vs Al Ittihad: history, goals, and probable lineup

Tonight, Ahly hosts Al Ittihad at Cairo International Stadium in the Egyptian Premier League, round 11. Historically, the two sides have met 127 times in league play since the 1948-49 season, with Ahly winning 85 times, Al Ittihad 16, and 26 draws. Ahly have scored 220 goals against Al Ittihad, while conceding 76. Notable results include a 6-0 victory in 2005-06, several 5-0 wins in the 1950s and 1990s, plus a 5-1 win in 1996-97 and multiple 4-0 or 4-1 games. Al Ittihad’s biggest win over Ahly came at 4-1 in 2014-15 and 4-3 in 2018-19, with a 4-4 draw recorded in 1954-55. In head-to-head charts, Hossam Hassan remains Ahly’s top scorer against Al Ittihad with 11 goals, followed by Ahmed Makawi (7) and Mohamed Abou-Treika (6), with Waheed Mustafa and Ayman Shukri also contributing five apiece. For Al Ittihad, Mohammad Diab Al-Diba leads with eight goals against Ahly, followed by Saad Rashed (five) and Rifa’i Sarour/Abd El-Fattah El-Garem with four each. The piece also notes that this marks the first domestic fixture under new Ahly manager Yees Torup; a suggested starting XI includes Shennawi in goal, a backline of Hani, Mar’i, Ibrahim, and Kouka, a midfield trio of Marwan Atia, Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, and Mahmoud Hassan Trezeghi, with an attacking line of Zizou, Ben Sharqi, and a forward further up the pitch.

As for the tactical setup, the article mentions that this is the first domestic match under the new managerial regime and hints at a lineup designed to balance solidity at the back with creativity in attack.

Contract strategy and latest decisions

The Ahly management has made a clear decision regarding player contracts, opting to renew only for players whose contracts expire at the end of the current season and suspending negotiations for others, regardless of status or influence within the squad. The source notes that there had been plans to renew Imam Ashour, but the player demanded financial terms that did not align with the club’s financial framework. In addition, the agent’s public remarks reportedly closed the door on that negotiations file. The focus now is to finalize deals for players with expiring contracts and to manage the squad within the club’s budget, ensuring a sustainable approach to squad planning.

Humor break: If patience were a jersey, Ahly would be wearing it as the new standard—comeback, not chaos. Punchline ready: two words for any rival worry: “blink twice”; the ball might already be in the net before you finish reading this sentence. Punchline two: in the UAE, Ahly’s coffee will be so strong that even the scoreboard might start singing, because defense wins games and caffeine wins headlines.