Ahly’s El-Shennawy likely to miss Wydad clash in Champions League final

Ahmed Abd El Rasoul , Saturday 3 Jun 2023

Ahly’s skipper and goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy is likely to miss Sunday’s highly anticipated game against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the African Champions League final, reports claimed late on Friday.

Shenawy
File Photo: Ahly s Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shenawy (C). AFP

 

Ahly will be facing Wydad in the first leg of the prestigious continental competition in Cairo on Sunday and in the second leg in in Morocco a week later.

The 34-year-old first-choice goalkeeper, who has kept a clean sheet in 24 of 36 matches in all competitions this season, has been suffering from a calf injury since mid-May that kept him out of action in the semi-final second leg against Esperance of Tunisia.

Despite his presence in Friday's training session, the team's coach Marcel Koller is reportedly not willing to risk him in Sunday’s game.

The Swiss tactician Koller is now choosing between second-choice goalkeeper Ali Lotfi, who just recovered from a muscle injury in his thigh, and third-choice goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir to stand between the sticks on Sunday according to the reports.

“Koller plans to depend on El-Shennawy’s experience in the return match away from home,” the reports added.

Ahly, 10-time African champs, secured their fourth successive Champions League final appearance with a commanding 4-0 aggregate victory over Esperance of Tunisia.

The Cairo giants are vying to win their 11th Champions League title in their 16th appearance in the finals of the continental tournament.

Meanwhile, defending champions and the three-time African champs Wydad, will be on course to win their fourth title in their sixth appearance in the tournament's final.

They reached the final after beating South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns on the away goal rule after a 2-2 draw on aggregate.

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