Ahly defender Sherif Abdel-Fadil sustained a calf injury during Friday’s 3-2 friendly defeat by Kuwaiti side Shabab and will be sidelined for 10 days, the club’s doctor revealed on Saturday.

“The player will miss the training session for 10 days after picking a calf strain during yesterday’s clash,” Ahly’s doctor Ihab Aly was quoted as saying by the club’s official website.

Also winger Ahmed Shedeed kenawy picked a muscle strain during Saturday’s training and will undergo further scans Sunday to determine the injury’s extent according to Aly.

Ahly’s Portuguese coach Manuel Jose is already missing the services of goal keeper Sherif Ekramy and midfielder Abdallah El-Said due to different injuries.

The Cairo Giants are in a 40-day mourning period after the Port Said disaster on 1 February which left over 70 dead, many of them Ahly fans. Since the incident, domestic football has been put on hold.

The Red Devils will play two other friendlies matches in the current training camp at UAE amid the club’s preparations for the African Champions League round of 32 match on 23 March.

Players still need long time to recover

Commenting on yesterday’s friendly defeat, Ahly’s assistant coach Pedro has confirmed the players are still suffering psychologically after the Port Said disaster and still need a long time to recover.

“The technical staff realise how the players are still affected by the bloody incidents in Port Said,” Pedro told the club’s official website.

“We will do our best in the coming friendly matches to regain their mental and physical fitness before our match in the African Champions League.”

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