Al Ahly coach: We are accustomed to artificial turf, weather won't be a factor against Al Hilal

Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller. Photo Credit: Al Ahly

Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller confirmed his team’s readiness to face Sudan’s Al Hilal on Tuesday in the second leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinals. Koller stated that everyone is aware the match will be played on an artificial turf pitch, something the players have become accustomed to in African competitions.

According to Al Ahly’s official website, Koller spoke during the press conference held at the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania's headquarters, saying: “Al Hilal is a strong team with high-level players but at the same time, Al Ahly will fight with full strength to secure the win, just like we did in the first leg held in Cairo.”

The Swiss coach pointed out that the weather would not be a major factor, especially since the climate in Mauritania is actually milder than in Cairo. He noted that Al Ahly players have vast experience in such conditions and have dealt with similar situations many times. “Our focus is entirely on performance and we are not distracted by any external factors,” he added.

Koller emphasized: “It doesn't matter whether you qualify as the first or second in the group—what’s important in the knockout stages is progressing past the quarterfinals and reaching the semifinals and the final. In the first leg in Cairo, we dominated the game and missed many chances, scoring only once. That’s football. The opponent had just one chance in the entire 90 minutes. We hope the return leg goes the same way and we maintain our lead and advance.”

The Al Ahly coach affirmed that the team’s mental and physical levels are steadily improving, especially as the season is now at its midpoint. “We aim to raise our level even further in tomorrow’s match and secure the victory,” he said.

He concluded: “Our focus is entirely on tomorrow’s game. We are not thinking about anything else but winning and qualifying. Who we face next is not our concern at this stage. Once we get past this match, we’ll start thinking about the next challenge.”