Al Ahly's head coach, Marcel Koller, has stated that his goal is to beat South Africa's Orlando Pirates and top Group C on Saturday in the final match of the CAF Champions League group stage.
Al Ahly will meet Orlando Pirates at 4:00 PM GMT on Saturday at Cairo International Stadium. Pirates lead Al Ahly by one point in the race for top spot with both teams already qualified to the quarterfinals of the competition following the Bucs' victory over CR Belouizdad last weekend.
During the pre-match press conference, Koller said, as quoted by Al Ahly's official website:
"I hope it will be a successful match for us. I know it will be a tough encounter because the opponent played well and leads the group. They also gave us a hard time on their home ground in the first leg."
He added:
"Our goal is to win and top the group. This is by no means an easy task, but we are well-prepared. We have a large squad capable of covering for absences."
About the absences, Koller said:
"Indeed, we have several significant injuries, but the quality of our players compensates for those who are missing. Every player who participates has the chance to prove themselves and their worth. We will hold our final training session today, and based on that, we will decide on the group of players most ready for the game. This is not an easy match to approach with young or less frequently participating players," he stated.
He continued:
"It’s too early to talk about our chances of winning the title, but victories are an indicator of that. We have won the title twice in a row and are aiming for a third consecutive title. However, that doesn’t mean our competitors have fewer chances."
Koller concluded:
"We have great experience, but the tight schedule makes things difficult. Despite everything, we are strong and rely on our fans, who are the 12th player and give us great strength. Al Ahly always competes with whoever is available. We have confidence in everyone, and the entire squad is ready for all matches."
CAF Champions League Group C Standings:
1- Orlando Pirates (South Africa) – 11 points.
2- Al Ahly (Egypt) – 10 points.
3- CR Belouizdad (Algeria) – 6 points.
4- Stade d’Abidjan (Ivory Coast) – 1 point.
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