Danish coach Jess Thorup underlined his determination to lead Al Ahly to victory against Young Africans, as the African champions prepare for a crucial CAF Champions League group-stage clash in Tanzania.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Thorup began by thanking the hosts for their warm welcome and even hinted he might return to the country one day for a short family vacation.
He explained that his main goal is to keep winning, highlighting the strong sense of confidence running through the squad after recent results. Thorup noted that the previous match against Young Africans was positive, with Al Ahly scoring twice but missing chances to make the scoreline more comfortable.
He acknowledged that topping the group brings responsibility, especially with three very important matches still to play, starting with a difficult away test against a talented Young Africans side backed by their home crowd.
Addressing the situation of Emam Ashour, Thorup made it clear the midfielder made a mistake by not traveling with the team. He stated firmly: “No one is bigger than Al Ahly, and as I said from the beginning, the team comes first and the player has been punished.”
Captain Mohamed El Shenawy also admitted the game will be challenging due to high humidity and the tight schedule after AFCON, but stressed that Al Ahly’s mentality always focuses on trophies and constant improvement.
