Pyramids FC Plays It Safe in Africa’s Champions League and Reveals its Egyptian Super Cup Squad

Pyramids’ cautious path in the CAF Champions League

Pyramids FC, led by Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić, emphasized realism after the group-stage draw for the CAF Champions League. The group features a mix of North and sub-Saharan opponents: RS Berkane (Morocco), Rivers United (Nigeria), and Power Dynamos (Zambia). The plan is to stay disciplined and focused, rather than chasing risky gambles that could derail a continental campaign that the club hopes to defend with steady performances. If patience were a player, it would be the star of the show here, and the fans wouldn’t complain.

The Egyptian side opens their campaign in Group A with Rivers United in Cairo on November 21 or 22, then heads to Zambia to face Power Dynamos on the 28th or 29th. In the subsequent rounds, Pyramids host RS Berkane in Morocco for the third match, welcome the Moroccan club to Cairo in January, then travel to Rivers United in Nigeria before concluding at home against Power Dynamos. The schedule tests the squad’s stamina, travel logistics, and, most importantly, their cohesion as a unit.

The squad selection and injury updates for the Super Cup

Alongside the group-stage talk, Jurčić also released Pyramids’ squad for the Egyptian Super Cup in the UAE. The goalkeeper line includes Ahmed El-Shenawy, Sherif Ekrami, Mahmoud Gad, and Ziad Heitham. In defense, the roster lists Mahmoud Marei, Ahmed Sami, Mohammed Al-Sheibi, Ali Jaber, Tarek Alaa, Karim Hafez, and Mohamed Hamdi. The midfield features a long list led by Abdulrahman Magdi, Mohanad Lashin, Walid El Karti, Ahmed Atef Qatta, Ahmed Toure, Mahmoud Dounga, Mahmoud Zelka, Mostafa Zico, Everton da Silva, Blati Touré, Mustafa Fathi, and Mohamed Rida Bobo. Up front, you’ll find Fiston Mamani, Marwan Hamdi, Dodo Gabas, and Yousef Obama.

However, not all is smooth sailing on the injury front. Ramadan Sobhi and Osama Jaleel are ruled out due to injury and have flown to Germany for medical tests. There are doubts about Burkina Faso’s Blati Touré’s fitness after an issue picked up in a recent league match. The squad, while talented, must navigate these challenges as they chase silverware on multiple fronts.

Draw results and the competition’s evolving future

The CAF Champions League draw set up some classic clashes across the four groups. Group 1 contains RS Berkane, Pyramids, Rivers United, and Power Dynamos. Group 2 features Al Ahly, Young Africans (Tanzania), Raja Casablanca, and JS Kabylie. Group 3 pits Mamelodi Sundowns, Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger, and Saint Eloi Lupopo. Group 4 brings Espérance de Tunis, Simba SC, Petro Atlético, and Stade Malien. The composition promises excitement and a test of depth and resilience for every team involved.

Looking ahead, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is pushing to elevate the competition through Video Assistant Referee (VAR) integration, improved broadcasting quality, and broader media partnerships to widen the tournament’s appeal. There is also a stated aim to reduce regional disparities by supporting development in nations with less-resourced leagues, hoping to foster a more balanced and competitive landscape in the near future.

For many clubs, the CAF Champions League remains the continental dream—the prize that marks a club’s true identity and history within African football. With ongoing improvements off the pitch and a growing appetite for high-level football across the continent, the journey promises even more dramatic chapters in the years ahead.

Punchline time: If caution were a superpower, Jurčić would already have a cape stitched from travel schedules and training schedules—talk about a tactical fashion statement. Punchline 2: In a group like this, the weather report is simple: there will be winds of travel, speed on the wings, and probably some last-minute substitutions that feel like plot twists in a late-season thriller.