Nine Reds Excluded: Turup Names Al Ahly Squad for Eagle Nar Showdown

Pre-match squad decisions

The Egyptian giants Al Ahly, under Danish coach Yis Turup, revealed a markedly trimmed squad for the CAF Champions League Round of 32 return leg against Eagle Nar, scheduled for Cairo’s stadium tomorrow evening. Nine players were left out of the squad, a mix of registration issues, technical reasons, and medical concerns, as the team seeks to close out the tie after a 1-0 win in the away leg last weekend.

The win in Burundi gave the Reds a modest cushion, but Turup stressed the need for focus and discipline as they return home, where the support will be loud and the stakes high. The coach’s brief was clear: keep the lead and finish the job, preferably with a balanced rotation that preserves fitness for a domestic schedule looming midweek.

Squad details and key updates

Among those excluded were Hamza Alaa (not locally and African-registered), Mohamed Shnawy, Mohamed Abdullah, and Ahmed Abdeen for technical/registration reasons; Imam Ashour is out due to an A-virus infection, and Ahmed Rida, Hussein Shahat, Mohamed Sharif, and Moroccan Dari were sidelined by injuries. Karim Fouad remained unavailable due to not being fully match-fit after a longer-term recovery. In total, 20 players were named in the Wildcats’ camp, entering a closed training camp on Friday ahead of the decisive clash.

The list of squad members included: Mohamed Siha, Mustafa Shobier, Yassin Morai, Omar Kamal Abdel Wahid, Ahmed Ramadan Beckham, Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, Yasser Ibrahim, Mahmoud Hassan Trezege, Nets Gradidchar, Ahmed Abdeen, Mohamed Shakri, Marwan Attia, Ashraf Ben Cherky, Mohamed Magdi Afsha, Mustafa El Ash, Aliou Dieng, Ahmed Sayed “Zizo,” Taher Mohamed Taher, Mohamed Hany, and Ahmed Nabil “Coca.”

Imam Ashour, meanwhile, continues a meticulous medical clearance process, undergoing another blood test to determine when he can rejoin full training. He has been away from group drills after a prior virus diagnosis, with medical staff emphasizing a careful, staged return rather than rushing the comeback.

Formation and lineup tweaks

Coach Turup hinted at tactical tweaks for the return leg, noting that the team played well for the first hour of the previous match before a late surge by the opposition. He stressed that the overall performance must improve alongside refining the roles of certain players. There is talk about starting Mustafa Shobier in goal, with Taher Mohamed Taher, Ahmed Abd Al Qader, and Mustafa El Ash possibly beginning the match, while the rest of the squad would be rotated to manage fatigue after a heavy schedule.

The technical team aims to balance freshness with continuity, particularly with a league fixture against PTG Branded in midweek requiring squad rotation to maintain performance levels across competitions.

Disciplinary actions

On the same day, the Egyptian Clubs Association announced penalties for the 11th round of the 2025-2026 league season. Marwan Attia received a one-match ban and a fine of 5,000 EGP for a third yellow card. Ahmed Coca was suspended for one match and fined 2,500 EGP following a red card. The club was also fined 150,000 EGP, and fan attendance for one game was restricted due to abusive chants aimed at a rival team, underscoring the league’s stricted stance on conduct.