Al Ahly Suffer Huge Blow Ahead of Their Tie Against Sundowns in CAF Champions League

• Al Ahly have suffered a significant setback just days before their crucial CAF Champions League semi-final return leg tie against Mamelodi Sundowns
• The clash between the top two clubs in Africa will take place at the Cairo International Stadium after the first leg ended in a goalless draw in Pretoria
• With home advantage and high expectations, the pressure is now on the Red Devils to deliver despite the major setback they suffered before the match

Al Ahly have suffered a major setback ahead of the all-important CAF Champions League semi-final clash against Mamelodi Sundowns at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday, April 25, 2025.

The Red Devils will host the Premier Soccer League giants in the return leg of the tie after the first leg ended in a goalless draw at Loftus Versfeld Stadium over the weekend in Pretoria, South Africa.

The Egyptian giants are working on defending the title again this season, but will need to get past Miguel Cardoso's men to secure a place in the final.

4 Al Ahly stars ruled out of CAF Champions League return leg

According to the Egyptian publication Kooora, Al Ahly are set to miss four key players ahead of the return leg in Cairo against the Brazilians.

The Red Devils are reportedly sweating over the fitness of Wessam Abu Ali, who missed the first leg in South Africa due to injury and will be assessed by the Red Devils' medical team before the encounter on Friday.

Al Ahly's fullbacks Yahya Attiat Allah and Karim El Debes are both ruled out of the tie as they are reportedly injured.

Attiat Allah is ruled out for weeks due to a hamstring strain, while sources confirmed that it would be difficult for El Debes to take part in the game.

Two players who are also on the injury list for the Egyptian giants are Reda Selim and Karim Fouad. The duo are still undergoing rehabilitation and would be risky to force back into action against the Pretoria-based side.

Updates on Mamelodi Sundowns players ahead of the game

Mamelodi Sundowns, on the other hand, will have Themba Zwane back as he has fully recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for seven months.

The Bafana Bafana star is now expected to start in the second leg after his impressive performance in the first, when he came on as a substitute in the second half.

There have yet to be reports about Lebo Mothiba's availability for the tie. The South African international has yet to feature in the CAF Champions League for Masandawana since joining the club on a free transfer during the January transfer window.

Al Ahly vs Mamelodi Sundowns in history

The rivalry between Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns has been intense over the years.​

Recall that Sundowns handed Al Ahly a record 5-0 defeat in Pretoria in 2019, marking one of Al Ahly's heaviest losses in continental competition. ​

The teams have met multiple times since, with Al Ahly often seeking redemption and Sundowns aiming to assert dominance.​

Since both teams faced each other for the first time in 2001, Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns have gone ahead to meet 16 times across various competitions. The record is remarkably balanced with five wins for Al Ahly, five wins for Mamelodi Sundowns, and both teams drawing each other six times.

This parity underscores the competitive nature of their encounters, with neither side maintaining prolonged dominance over the other.

In the first leg of their semi-final encounter last week, Al Ahly managed a 0-0 draw away from home, despite Mamelodi Sundowns dominating possession with 74%.

Al Ahly's defence held firm, and they created more clear-cut chances with three shots on target compared to Sundowns' none. The second leg promises to be a mouthwatering encounter with a place in the final up for grabs.

How Al Ahly can get a win against Al Ahly

Briefly News also explained how Mamelodi Sundowns can get a win against Al Ahly despite travelling to Cairo for the second leg.

The Pretoria giants need a win at the Cairo International Stadium for them to seal a place in the final of the competition.

Nomso Obiajuru was a contributing writer in this article.

Source: Briefly News