CAFCL: Al Ahly SC to take decisive action after exit

Reeling from the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) quarterfinal exit over the weekend, management of Al Ahly SC has promised to take decisive action to turn around the fortunes of the Egyptian Premier League giants.

The record Champions League winners will now go two years without winning the continental title after they lost 3-2 to Espérance de Tunis at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday in a quarterfinal second leg match.

Our CAF Champions League journey ends here 🔴 pic.twitter.com/ZWW8NhVNuN

— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) March 21, 2026

The Reds had suffered an away 1-0 loss in the quarterfinal first-leg Tunisia last week; hence, overall bowed out of the 4-2 on aggregate over two legs.

In a statement, Al Ahly management promised to take urgent action and hinted at the club’s restructuring during what it calls a transitional period.

What Al Ahly statement says after heartbreak

“Decisive Action: A comprehensive remedy is currently being finalized. This restructuring will require a transitional period to ensure it is implemented effectively,” reads part of the statement.

The statement came after Ahly President Mahmoud El Khatib, vice-president Yassin Mansour, and Board Member Sayed Abdel Hafeez held an extensive meeting to review the club’s football sector.

During the meeting, the board of the Club of the Century identified critical issues that need to be addressed while acknowledging that the performance was not at the level of such an institution.

“We fully acknowledge and share the frustration and disappointment felt by Al Ahly’s members and supporters regarding the football team’s recent results. Despite receiving unwavering support, the team’s performances have fallen short of the club’s stature on both domestic and continental stages,” adds the statement.

Al Ahly leadership has since taken steps to address the team’s shortcomings which they note are technical and administrative.

Acknowledgment of Shortcomings

“We recognise the technical and administrative deficiencies that have occurred and understand their impact,” the statement reads.

During the game on Saturday, Trezeguet’s early goal appeared to send the hosts on course to overturn a 0-1 deficit from the first leg but an improved effort from the Tunisian visitors saw them do enough to secure semi-final qualification by a 4-2 aggregate score.