Al Ahly to arrive 48 hours before match against Ethiopian Coffee

Cairo giants will travel to Ethiopia only two days before scheduled CAF Champions League game to avoid low oxygen levels.

Ahly football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz revealed Thursday that the team crew would travel to Ethiopia 48 hours before a scheduled match to save players from the lack of oxygen in the country.

“We will minimise our exposure to the lack of Oxygen in Ethiopia by arriving there two days before game,” Abdel-Hafiz told reporters following training.

The Cairo giants are scheduled to face Ethiopian side Coffee in the 32nd round of the CAF Champions League on 24 March.

The Red Devils launched a closed camp in the UAE as part of preparations for the African game.

Ahly resumed playing recently following a 40-day mourning period in the wake of the Port Said football violence on 1 February, which left over 70 dead – many of them Ahly fans. Since the incident, domestic football activity has been put on hold.

Ahly are set to play another two friendlies, on 15 and 19 March, with the first game being against a second division team.

Source: Al Ahram