Al Ahly head coach Jess Thorup has addressed the recent disciplinary action against attacker Imam Ashour, who was handed a two-week suspension and fined 1.5 million Egyptian pounds for indiscipline.
Speaking to the media ahead of Al Ahly’s CAF Champions League Group Stage clash against Tanzania’s Young Africans at Aman Stadium in Zanzibar, Thorup emphasised the importance of team discipline.
“Imam Ashour? He is a player who made a mistake, and I stated from my first day with the team that no one is above the team,” he said.
“The team is the star, and the player will certainly be punished, and that is more than enough for now.”
Looking ahead to the encounter with Young Africans, Thorup noted the Tanzanian side faced challenges in their opening CAF match.
“Young Africans’ first match was only 3 days after the players returned from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, so the cohesion between the players was not 100%, because the period was not enough to prepare for that match.”
Thorup also expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness.
“In the league, we played a good match against Wadi Degla and achieved a victory. We arrived in Zanzibar yesterday, and we are preparing strongly for tomorrow’s match. All the players are ready, and everyone is fighting to compete for their position in order to achieve victory.”
Acknowledging the challenge of playing away from home, the coach added, “We know we will face a strong team, playing at home and surrounded by the support of their fans, but we believe in ourselves, our players and their level, and this gives us confidence to achieve victory tomorrow.”
