Afsha targets trophy response as Al Ahly return begins

Mohamed Magdy “Afsha” says Al Ahly must put last season behind them by winning domestic and African trophies after he returned to the club from a loan spell at Al Ittihad Alexandria.

The 30-year-old midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan with Al Ittihad Alexandria and has now rejoined Al Ahly, where he says the priority is to restore the club’s status at the top of the game.

“Al Ahly is the biggest club in Africa and we always play under pressure to win every domestic and African trophy. This is the nature of being an Al Ahly player,” Afsha told the club’s official website.

Afsha said he was pleased to be back with the Cairo-based side and believed his time away had been beneficial, particularly because he helped Al Ittihad Alexandria achieve their main objective.

“I am happy to return to Al Ahly. I benefited from the period I spent with Al Ittihad Alexandria, and we achieved our objective of keeping the team in the league,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the new campaign would bring success for the squad as a whole.

“I hope the current season will be special for all the players and that we win many trophies,” Afsha added.

Responsibility after a disappointing season

Al Ahly’s current head coach is Hussein Ammouta, and Afsha praised the way the manager had dealt with him since his return.

“Hussein Ammouta is an excellent coach and treats me with great respect. The most important thing is to win trophies this season and forget what happened last season,” he said.

Afsha believes the difficulties of the previous campaign have increased the responsibility on every player at Al Ahly to improve the team’s performances and return to winning ways.

“What happened last season puts all the players at Al Ahly under responsibility to restore the team’s level and return to the podium,” he said.

The midfielder also addressed the reaction to some of his public comments, acknowledging that his straightforward style can occasionally attract controversy.

“My statements are always genuine and I speak naturally, so sometimes my statements cause controversy,” Afsha said.

He is also looking forward to Al Ahly’s match against Barcelona, describing it as an important occasion for the team. Afsha stressed that the players would put the club first while showing proper respect to their opponents.

“The Al Ahly and Barcelona match will be important and good. We will all play for the team and we will respect our opponent,” he said.

Afsha concluded by highlighting Ammouta’s repeated message to the squad: concentration must be maintained throughout, while respect between team-mates remains essential.

“Ammouta constantly stresses the need to stay focused at all times and to respect one another,” he said.

Afsha’s comments were published by Al Ahly’s official website on Monday, 10 August 2026, in an interview following his return to the squad after his loan spell with Al Ittihad Alexandria.