Only a few hours separate us from the clash between Egyptian Al Ahly and Mexican Monterrey in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup currently taking place in the UAE, with a historical backdrop connecting the African representative and the CONCACAF champion in the tournament. Al Ahly, the reigning African Champions League holder, will face Monterrey, the CONCACAF champion, on Saturday evening at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
**Historical Context**
The upcoming match carries a historical significance as the two teams have met twice before in the Club World Cup. This will be the seventh participation for the African champion in the World Cup, while Monterrey has participated five times. The first encounter between Al Ahly and Monterrey occurred during the 2012 Club World Cup in Japan, ending with a 2-0 victory for the CONCACAF champion.
**A Historic Defeat**
The second match between the two teams remains a grim memory for Al Ahly, who suffered a heavy defeat of 5-1 in the 2013 edition of the Club World Cup held in Morocco. This loss is the heaviest for the Egyptian team in its six participations in the global tournament.
**Bad Luck**
Al Ahly faces significant challenges ahead of Saturday's match against Monterrey, as the reigning African Champions League holder will miss 14 players due to injuries, alongside five players participating with the Egyptian national team at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Cameroon. Missing from the Cairo club due to injury are Badr Benoun, Akram Tawfik, Ammar Hamdi, Salah Mohsen, and Mahmoud Metwally. Additionally, Mohamed Mahmoud, Hassan Hassan, Percy Tau, and Ahmed Nabil Koka are unavailable due to muscle injuries and COVID-19.
Al Ahly will also be without the contributions of five international players participating with Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations: Mohamed El Shenawy, Ayman Ashraf, Hamdi Fathy, Amr El Solia, and Mohamed Sherif.
**Expert Opinion on the Match**
Sport critic Bilal El Sisi commented to Sky News Arabia on the match, stating, “It will be incredibly difficult given Al Ahly's numerous absences, but I believe this situation provides a great opportunity for the available players to showcase themselves.” He further explained, “The absences will definitely impact Al Ahly in the Club World Cup, but the remaining players have the experience and ability to deliver performances in line with Al Ahly's name at the global level.”
**Breaking the Curse**
Regarding the potential impact of Al Ahly's historical 5-1 loss to Monterrey, the sports analyst said, “The generation that lost by five goals in 2013 is not the same as the current one. Although significant losses will always be remembered, we are talking about the present and not the past.” On the chances of breaking the Mexican curse, El Sisi stated, “Anything is possible in football, but Al Ahly's chances are quite challenging due to the absences affecting the team. However, ultimately, Al Ahly plays with whoever is present.”
He concluded by discussing Al Ahly's prospect of overcoming Monterrey in the quarter-finals, saying, “An Al Ahly victory over Monterrey is possible because it’s football, but theoretically, I believe that winning will be difficult given Monterrey's superior readiness compared to Al Ahly.”
