El Shenawy risks season-ending ban after referee confrontation

Al Ahly captain Mohamed El Shenawy is facing the possibility of a lengthy suspension that could rule him out for the rest of the Egyptian Premier League season following a heated post-match incident on Tuesday.

The controversy unfolded after Al Ahly’s 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, a result that left the Red Devils trailing league leaders Zamalek by five points. The match was marred by a late refereeing decision, as referee Mahmoud Wafa waved away strong penalty appeals from Al Ahly in stoppage time despite a VAR review.

Tensions boiled over after the final whistle when several Al Ahly players confronted the referee over the decision. Video footage circulating on social media shows El Shenawy, who did not feature in the match, reacting angrily after being shown a red card for dissent.

The situation escalated further as the goalkeeper attempted to confront the referee physically before being restrained by security personnel and club officials, including Walid Salah El Din.

According to the competition’s disciplinary regulations, El Shenawy could face a suspension ranging from four to six matches, in addition to a financial fine. The rules state that any physical confrontation with a referee, including pushing or pulling without striking, carries significant sanctions.

With only five matches remaining in Al Ahly’s league campaign against Smouha, Pyramids, Zamalek, ENPPI, and Al Masry, such a ban would effectively end El Shenawy’s season.

The incident comes at a difficult time for the experienced goalkeeper, whose role in the team has diminished in recent weeks, with Mostafa Shobeir emerging as the preferred choice between the posts for both club and country.