Veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan, who is nursing a serious knee injury, has been left out of Ahly’s squad for the African Champions League.
Although he is close to recovering from the niggling complaint, the Egypt skipper will have to sit out Ahly’s games in the preliminary rounds of Africa’s premier club competition.
The Red Devils’ decision to leave him out of the 25-man roster may cast further doubts over the future of Hassan, whose current deal runs out at the end of the season.
Hassan has been out of action since rupturing cruciate ligaments in his knee during an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone in September last year.
However, Ahly will have a chance to include him in the Champions League squad before the group stage begins in July.
Algerian out-of-favor playmaker Amir Sayoud and Liberian striker Francis Doe were also left out. Both men were handed limited opportunities to prove their worth under coach Hossam Al-Badri, but reports suggested the arrival of Portuguese Manuel Jose could give them a new lease of life.
Ahly are the record winners of the Champions League with six titles to their name, one ahead of compatriots and arch-rivals Zamalek.
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