By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (May 25^th 2024)

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Perish the though that Al-Ahly appearing in the final of the flagship competition for African clubs for the fifth consecutive time would satisfy them. Al-Ahly, the team that the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) labelled the Club of the Century, face former champions, Taraji, Espérance Sportive de Tunis, in the second leg of the final tonight after a drab 0-0 draw in Radès, Tunisia.

Yesterday, Marcel Koller, defending the title he steered Al-Ahly to last year, warned his team against complacency. Koller insisted that Espérance have an ‘equal chance’ of winning the title. “Those who watched the first leg know that the two teams are equally matched,” Koller said. It won’t be an easy task.”

Feeling Their Presence

Koller appealed to Ahly fans to make their presence felt. “We need our fans to make Esperance feel like they’re playing away from home,” he said.

But Ahly will be without veteran defender, the Tunisian left-back, Ali Maâloul, who has a complete set of club honours, having won the CAF Confederation Cup with his former team, (Club Sportive) CS Sfaxien in 2013 – he has played for Al-Ahly since 2016, winning the CAF Champions League and CAAF Supercup with the Egyptian giants.

Despite appearing at the press conference yesterday, Mohamed El-Shenawy will have to displace young prodigy Mostafa Shoubir to gain the start tonight – he didn’t.

“I’ve prepared myself and the team for all possible scenarios and we’re ready to handle whatever comes our way,” Koller told journalists.

If Al-Ahly win tonight it will be their 12^th Champions Clubs title, extending their record.