Al Ahly’s Big Absences: Fresh Setback Ahead of Cairo Capital Cup Showdown

Absences ahead of the Cairo Capital Cup clash

Al Ahly announced on Tuesday that three senior attackers will skip Friday’s meeting with Ceramica Cleopatra in the second round of Group A of the Capital Cup. Mohamed Magdy Afsha, Karim Fouad, and Moroccan forward Ashraf Ben Sharqi are all unavailable, leaving room for others to seize their chances as the team builds toward the fixture.

In addition, a number of international players will be away with their national teams for AFCON duties, further thinning options ahead of a critical period for the defending champions.

Injury updates, rehab progress, and training notes

The Reds dropped their opening match 1-0 to Enppi, a result they will aim to overturn in the upcoming clash. Team doctor Dr. Ahmed Gaballah confirmed there is full coordination with the Moroccan national team’s medical staff to monitor Ashraf Ben Sharqi’s condition as he recovers from a hamstring issue and focuses on rehab milestones.

Ben Sharqi is undergoing regular physiotherapy and is progressing positively within the rehab program designed after his strain, with notable improvements in mobility and pain levels reported by the medical team.

Fouad continues therapy under the club’s rehab plan, addressing both ACL and internal knee ligament concerns contracted while with the national team at the Arab Cup, and the medical staff remains optimistic about a timely return.

Afsha likewise remains in rehabilitation for the calf strain he carried during the recent international window, following the schedule laid out by the sports science and medical team to minimize risk of re-injury.

The Red squad conducted training at the Nasr City youth complex, where Danish head coach Yisse Thorup delivered a briefing on readiness and tactical plans for the upcoming game, stressing discipline and focus in defense and transitions.

The session began with fitness work, then moved into specialized drills emphasizing defensive shape and collective pressing. Players like Yassin Morai, Ashraf Dari, Ahmed Abdin, Ahmed Ramadan “Beckham”, and Mustafa Al-Ash stood out in the drills, while goalkeepers underwent separate, targeted work as per the plan.

The coaching staff also organized a strong ball game to simulate real-match scenarios, with emphasis on set-pieces and quick decision-making under pressure. Overall, the program aimed to keep the squad sharp while respecting the players’ current load and injury status.

Punchline time: If patience was a position, Ahly’s squad would be captain by a librarian—quiet, well-organized, and always checking the playbook. Punchline 2: When life gives you injuries, make bench-press jokes—the real comeback story is written on the pitch, not on the X-ray report.