Al Ahly confirm knee injury for Youssef Belammari after Badalona win

Al Ahly have confirmed that Youssef Belammari suffered a knee sprain during their 3-0 friendly victory over Badalona in Spain.

The club’s doctor, Ahmed Gaballah, said Belammari was taken to hospital for examinations after sustaining the injury.

“Youssef Belammari suffered a sprained knee and was taken to hospital for examination and reassurance,” Gaballah said in a statement published on Al Ahly’s official website.

The match was Al Ahly’s first friendly of their training camp in Spain, and they secured a comfortable victory without conceding.

Two of the club’s new arrivals made the difference by scoring in the opening stages. Ali Mahmoud put Al Ahly ahead before Oktay Abdullah doubled their advantage. Ahmed Zizo then completed the scoring to give the Egyptian side a three-goal win.

Sofiane Bendjeddine also had the opportunity to add to Al Ahly’s lead in the first half, but the team’s striker saw his penalty saved by the Badalona goalkeeper.

The result meant the two recently recruited players from ENPPI played a central role in Al Ahly’s success, with Mahmoud and Abdullah both finding the net before Zizo added the third.

Al Ahly’s pre-season camp in Spain will continue until 20 August. The squad are scheduled to undertake intensive daily training sessions during the camp, alongside a series of friendly matches.

Their most prominent fixture will come on 19 August, when they face Barcelona in the Joan Gamper Trophy.

The club will then begin their Egyptian Premier League campaign against Eastern Company ENPPI. Al Ahly are scheduled to finish the first round of the competition against Wadi Degla.

They will play 13 of their 19 matches in the opening phase at Cairo International Stadium.

The Egyptian Premier League is due to begin on 21 August, with the first round scheduled to conclude on 20 February. The second phase is set to start on 8 March and finish on 28 May.

Those dates remain subject to any changes to the May calendar because of the finals of continental competitions, according to Taha Ezzat, chairman of the competitions committee.