The Cairo giants head into the match in turmoil after club president Mahmoud El-Khatib, an iconic figure in Egyptian football, announced he would not seek re-election in November for health reasons. A decision that rattled a club long regarded as a fortress of stability.
On the pitch, Ahly are enduring one of their worst league starts in decades, with only five points from four games to sit 14th in the table.
The poor run prompted Ahly’s management to dismiss Spanish coach Jose Riveiro and restructure the technical staff, appointing Emad El-Nahhas as interim coach and Walid Salah El-Din as football director.
“We have difficult games in September, but we are capable of navigating this period with El-Nahhas, who guided the team through a tough spell last season and won the league title,” Salah El-Din told the club’s website.
El-Nahhas begins his latest tenure without defenders Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Shokry and Achraf Dari, who are sidelined through injury.
Midfielder Emam Ashour, sidelined since undergoing shoulder surgery after the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in June, has been included in the squad for the first time this season.
Ahly will also face Ceramica Cleopatra and Haras El-Hodoud this month before a Cairo derby against arch-rivals Zamalek on 29 September.
“I am not worried about Ahly, we have the best players in Africa,” Salah El-Din added.
On the other side, Enppi want to maintain their good start with coach Hamza El-Gamal as they sit seventh with eight points from five games.
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