File Photo: Ahly's Forward Wessam Abou Ali vies for the ball during the match with Ismaily . Al-Ahram.
Ahly are seeking to maintain their winning run to pile more pressure on leaders Pyramids FC.
A win against the Dervishes will also boost the team's morale before next week's highly anticipated Cairo derby against rivals Zamalek.
Currently occupying second place in the league table with 29 points from 13 games, Ahly trails league leaders Pyramids FC by just one point and maintains a three-point lead over third-placed Zamalek.
Abou Ali, 26, returns to the squad after a month-long absence due to muscle issues, with his last appearance dating back to the match against Stade d'Abidjan in the CAF Champions League in mid-January.
Moreover, 25-year-old Achraf Dari, who has made only four appearances across all competitions for Ahly since joining the team in August 2024 due to a persistent ankle injury, made the squad.
Coach Marcel Koller will rely on Emam Ashour's exceptional form and the recent January signing of Nejc Gradisar, who combined for eight goals in the last five league matches.
Injury concerns persist for Ahly, with Moroccan left-back Yahia Attiat-Allah, defender Yasser Ibrahim, and winger Taher Mohamed Taher remaining sidelined.
Moreover, newly acquired forward Achraf Bencharki, who has yet to debut on the team, continues recovering from a muscular injury.
On the Ismaily side, the struggling team seeks to turn their fortunes around after suffering four consecutive league defeats, culminating in the dismissal of coach Hamad Ibrahim following a recent 2-0 loss to Gouna.
Ismaily, having secured only three league victories out of 13 games this season, currently languish in 14th place with 12 points.
Under the guidance of interim coach Emad Soliman, Ismaily will be without key midfielder Emad Hamdy due to ongoing injury concerns.
However, Palestinian striker Khaled Al-Nabris is set to be available after recovering from a muscular injury.
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