Al Ahly Ready to Kick Off CAF Champions League Campaign Against Shabab Al-Qabail: Returnees, Rehab Updates, and a 30k Fan Dream
20 November 2025
Preview: Al Ahly vs Shabab Kabylie in Cairo
Egypt’s Al Ahly announced the readiness of four players — Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Ashraf Dari, and Imam Ashour — to face Algerian club Shabab Kabylie.
The Red Devils will host Kabylie on Saturday at Cairo International Stadium, opening the CAF Champions League group stage in Group B.
A medical update from the club indicated that Hussein Shahat and Mohamed Abdullah will miss the match as they continue rehabilitation programs.
Shahat is in the final stage of rehab and is running drills around the pitch with the aim of joining the group training soon.
Ashraf Dari will participate gradually in group training as part of his rehabilitation plan, while head coach Yies Torup held a team meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming fixtures, especially the Kabylie clash.
Return of Zizo and Trezeguet was noted after rejoining group training at the Mokhtar El-Tet training ground on Gezira Island, following recovery from knee-related issues and ligament strains sustained during the national team camp.
Trezeguet has fully recovered and participated in full group sessions, while Zizo’s comeback followed his earlier knee ligament strain, and both are back in action for the squad’s push in the group stage.
Mohamed Abdullah continues treatment sessions after a second-degree knee ligament injury in training, with the medical staff affirming ongoing rehabilitation to ready him for a later return to full training.
International players returned to the first-team training, marking a rare moment of full attendance since the Super Cup triumph in the UAE. Hamza Abdul Karim, from the U17 side, also joined after a knock-on effect from youth duty.
Al Ahly vs Shabab Kabylie is a highly anticipated Egyptian-Algerian showdown in Group B, which also features Raja Casablanca vs Young Africans from Tanzania. The Egyptian giants rely on coach Yies Torup’s experience and the attacking quality of Ashraf Ben Cherky, Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, and Taher Mohamed Taher, while Slovenian striker Gradičar serves a suspension.
On the other side, Shabab Kabylie — led by German coach Joseph Zienbauer — sit sixth in the Algerian league with 15 points from nine games, and bank on striker Aymen Mahious, defender Zinedine Belhaïd, and veteran Ryad Boudebouz to kick off their campaign strong. The Moroccan club Royal Army (AS FAR Rabat), under Portuguese coach Alexandre Santos, hopes for a good away result against Young Africans, with key players like Ahmed Hamdan, Joel Bye, and Horibe Hassan in the spotlight.
Big picture: 30,000 spectators have been tentatively approved for the Cairo Stadium game, though Al Ahly noted that 50,000 would have been possible with different security arrangements. For now, they’ll settle for a packed home environment and a determined squad ready to seize the group-stage start.
30,000 spectators aside, the clash promises to be a tactical and emotional affair, with the Egyptian side leaning on home support and squad depth to begin their continental campaign in style.
And remember: if you’re keeping score, the ball travels faster than a rumor in Cairo — so expect the pace to be brisk and the nerves to stay calm, at least until the whistle. And if you blink, you might miss a goal, because this one could be decided in a flash.
