Fifa Club World Cup: Al Ahly inspired by Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign

Egyptian club meet Mexico’s Monterrey on day two of Club World Cup

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. All Photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Al Ahly's Yasser Ibrahim during training ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nayan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Ali Lotfi trains ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Taher Mohamed trains ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Mostafa Shobeir trains ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Ahmed Abdelkader trains ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Hussein El Shahat shares a joke with Yasser Ibrahim (L) during training ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly's Walid Soliman trains ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly train ahead of the game against Monterrey in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Al Ahly centre-back Ramy Rabia believes his side can take inspiration from the Egyptian national team’s performance to reach the African Cup of Nations final.

The team meet Mexico’s Monterrey on match day two of the Fifa Club World Cup at Al Nahyan stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

“We watched our national team’s victory over Cameroon in the semi-finals and that has given every player in our squad a shot in the arm ahead of our opening match in the Club World Cup,” Rabia said at the prematch conference on Friday.

“Not only that, Ahly enter every competition with the objective of winning, and we want to be in the final of this championship. Of course every game is tough at this level but we are confident.”

Ahly has six of their players on national duty at the African Cup of Nations but Rabia insisted that doesn’t make their team any weaker, even though they will miss their services in Abu Dhabi.

“Obviously it’s the best players that get picked for the national team and we certainly are going to feel their absence, but having said that, we will deploy all our efforts to win all our matches in this competition,” Rabia said.

Samy Elsoudany, assistant to Ahly’s Cameroonian manager Pitso Mosimane, who is expected to be back on match day after recovering from Covid-19, said that aside from the players on national duty, they also had a few injury concerns.

“We have travelled with a few injured players but at Ahly, we have faith on the entire squad even as some of them are playing in this competition for the first time,” Elsoudany said.

“We have some experienced players to make up for the absence of those on national duty as well as those injured players, and we are very hopeful of progressing to the next round.”

Monterrey manager Javier Aguirre is expecting a tough match despite the absence of key players and injuries in the Egyptian camp.

Monterrey head coach Javier Aguirre (R) before the game against Al Ahly in the Fifa Club World Cup UAE 2021 at Al Nayan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“We are aware we face a very hard game but we are very excited to play in this competition,” said Aguirre, who managed Abu Dhabi Club Al Wahda for two seasons from 2015 to 2017.

“Ahly are a good side even though they will not have the services of some of their players but that doesn’t make them any weaker.

“They have an abundance of talent in their squad and the club is also the backbone of supplying a steady flow of players to the national team. We are expecting a tough opponent tomorrow.

Aguirre is “happy to represent Mexico and CONCACAF” in the competition and believes it to be 11 against 11 on the pitch.

Ahly are making their seventh appearance at the Club World Cup while it’s the fifth for Monterrey.

“We want to put up a good performance and showcase Mexico football and Monterrey on the world stage,” the Mexican club’s Argentine midfielder Matias Kranevitter said.

“We know of the skills and the talent we have in the squad. This is a great opportunity for us. Hopefully, we can kick-off our campaign with a great start.”