Ashraf Ben Sharqi: Al Ahly's bold chase for the Egyptian Super Cup glory in UAE
4 November 2025
Match context
Ashraf Ben Sharqi, the winger for Al Ahly, says the Egyptian Super Cup is a key trophy this season and that all players are pushing hard to win and please the club’s fans.
In statements to the club’s media, Ben Sharqi explained that the team aims to win the Egyptian Super Cup, which begins on Thursday with a semi-final against Ceramica Cleopatra at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, UAE.
He added that the Super Cup is an important competition we long to lift, and we fully understand its value for the club and the supporters; we hope to meet expectations and lift the title.
Ceramica Cleopatra are among the standout teams with strong domestic results to date; we are preparing well for the clash and aim to reach the final of the tournament.
He stressed that holding the tournament in the UAE provides strong motivation, especially with Al Ahly’s fans always in attendance to support the players, and with the high‑quality venues enhancing the atmosphere.
He continued that this trophy marks a solid start to a long season, and winning it would give us a big push to stay in the hunt for all titles; we are mentally and physically ready and hope to celebrate with the Red Devils' fans.
Ben Sharqi concluded by thanking the Al Ahly supporters for their huge backing and stressing that the team’s objective is to win the title to celebrate with them.
Team updates and opponent prep
Program: Al Ahly began its preparations in Al Ain ahead of the semi-final against Ceramica Cleopatra on Thursday at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
The Red Devils’ delegation arrived in Dubai last night and then traveled by bus to Al Ain where they were greeted by a small crowd, who were urged to back the team and secure the Super Cup.
Torup’s briefing: Danish coach Jes Torup led a video session with the players at the training base this morning, outlining the opponent’s key traits and discussing strengths, weaknesses and tactical plans for the match to ensure optimal readiness.
He also held several coordination meetings with his staff on arrival in the UAE to finalize the training schedule and confirm technical details for the match.
First training session: Al Ahly will hold its first practice at the Tahnoun Bin Mohammed Stadium in Al Ain at the same time as the match, focusing on technical and physical aspects to prepare for the clash.
Injury and squad news: All available players will feature, including Tunisian midfielder Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan who missed the last game against Misr al Masri.
Absentees: Several players will miss the semi-final and final due to injuries, registration issues, or not being fully match-ready, including Ashraf Dari, Mohamed Sherif, Hussein El Shahat, Imam Ashour, Ahmed Reda and Hamza Alla, according to the club’s source.
Salary rumors: A source insisted that rumors of a salary freeze by Walid Salah Eldin are false, and there has been no decision; focus remains on winning the Egyptian Super Cup.
Torup reaction: Torup admitted the team did not fare well in the recent league game against Misr El Masri but created several chances; he takes responsibility and says they will fix the mistakes and build confidence, with time turning chances into goals.
He also praised the players for their effort, noting that Zizo performed well in the match; though the team reached the opponent’s goal and struck five clear opportunities, better finishing is needed, and that is the focus going forward.
Two punchlines close: If the ball were a sniper, it would take a long shot every time—except our strikers, who seem to be hunting the post. And if celebrations were legal, we’d file a missing goal report by week’s end.
