With Al Ahly potentially facing Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals, a club legend hopes the Egyptian giants can avoid Pitso Mosimane’s former side.
The ‘Club of the Century’ booked their ticket in the last eight on Friday with one game to spare, after rallying from two goals behind to a last-minute 2-2 draw with Al-Merrikh.
The point was enough to secure second spot in their group behind AS Vita and Al Ahly will now face one of the winners from the three other groups in the quarter-final.
However, club legend Walid Salah El-Din has explained why he hopes the defending champions can avoid Masandawana.
“The current Al Ahly generation is not as fierce away from home as ours or the generation of Barakat and Meteb,” Salah El-Din said, as quoted by KingFut.
“I was surprised by Al Ahly’s level in the first-half against Al-Merrikh. We would have lost by a five-goal margin if it wasn’t for luck, the penalty miss, and then the ability of Al Ahly to equalize in the dying moments.
“I am not worried about Al Ahly if they face a North African side, Esperance, Wydad Casablance, or any other team.
“North African teams lost half their strength in the absence of the fans, and here Al Ahly become stronger as long as they play on a good pitch and an atmosphere similar to Egypt.
“I hope Al Ahly will be drawn against a North African side in the quarter-finals, and get as far (away) as possible from Mamelodi Sundowns so that the Reds don’t (have) difficulties in defending their title.”
All teams still have one more match round in the CAFCL group stages, while the draw for the quarter-finals will take place on 30 April.
