Mahmoud El Khatib, a beloved figure in Al Ahly’s history, found himself in an unusual position on Monday evening as some Red Devils fans voiced frustration inside the Mahalla Stadium.
Before kick-off against Ghazl El Mahalla, sections of supporters chanted: “Wake up, Khatib! Al-Ahly fans have been denied their rights.”
The chants came as a surprise, as reasons behind the anger remain unclear. For years, El Khatib has been seen as a symbol of stability and success, yet this moment revealed a different mood among part of the crowd.
More than 15,000 fans filled the stands, creating a lively setting for the Egyptian Premier League fourth-round clash. The evening also carried a somber note as Ghazl El Mahalla showed respect to Al Ahly captain Mohamed El Shenawy, whose father recently passed away. The condolence message appeared on the stadium’s screens, followed by a minute of silence before kick-off.
El Shenawy, who missed recent games, returned to his goalkeeping duties after appearing as a substitute in earlier rounds against Modern Sport and Pharco.
