Under Thorup’s guidance, the red devils kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 1-0 win over Aigle Noir in the first leg at Inwari Stadium in Bujumbura. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory over Ittihad Alexandria in the Egyptian Premier League.
"I’m very happy with the winning debut, but I’m not satisfied with the performance," Thorup said in the post-match press conference after the Ittihad win.
"I’ve only led the team for two matches. It’s too early to expect a big impact. We play every three days, and that puts a lot of pressure on the players," he added.
In a surprise move, Thorup excluded regular goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy from the team's squad for the game.
Ahly will be without several key players due to injury, including Mohamed Sherif, Hussein El-Shahat, Ahmed Reda, Achraf Dari, and Karim Fouad.
"A strong attack wins you games, but a solid defence wins you trophies. That’s why defence is my top priority," the 55-year-old tactician added.
The 12-time African champions, knocked out in last season's CAF semi-finals, are shooting for a record-extending 13th CAF Champions League title.
Ahly received a bye in the preliminary round due to their high CAF club ranking.
Meanwhile, Aigle Noir advanced to this stage on away goals after drawing 1-1 on aggregate with ASAS Djibouti Telecom, following a goalless draw at home and a 1-1 result away.
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