Head coach Jose Riveiro, who achieved great success in his final seasons with Orlando Pirates, has failed to secure a win in his first two matches at the FIFA Club World Cup with his new team Al Ahly. As a result, he has come under heavy criticism in the media.
In the group stage, Al Ahly drew their opening match against Inter Miami and lost 2-0 to Palmeiras. Now, in order to qualify for the round of 16, they must defeat Porto on Tuesday.
For Al Ahly, this tournament has also served as a tool to recognize the shortcomings in their squad. According to Kooora, the Egyptian side has made changes to their transfer plans:
“Al Ahly’s management initially planned to strengthen only the left-back and striker positions. However, things have changed drastically.
“The current focus is on reinforcing both the left and right-back positions, as well as signing a local striker.”
“The level Mohamed Hany showed in the tournament, the frequent injuries to Omar Kamal Abdel Wahed’s replacement, and the departure of Akram Tawfik made strengthening the right-back position an urgent necessity.”