Marcel Koller secures extra time off before crucial Al Ahly clash

Swiss tactician Marcel Koller has convinced Al-Ahly’s sporting director, Mohamed Ramadan, to grant him an extra 48 hours of vacation time.

The extension comes after Koller, who embarked on a week-long break starting March 12, reached out to Ramadan on Monday evening. Originally set to return Wednesday night to resume training duties, Koller now plans to be back by Friday evening, gearing up for a pivotal African Champions League showdown against Al Hilal of Sudan on April 1 at Cairo International Stadium.

A club source told Kooora that tonight’s training session will be the last before the squad locks into a closed camp ahead of Thursday’s Egyptian Professional Clubs Association Cup opener against Enppi.

With Koller still away, assistant coach Sami Qamssan will take the reins for that match, working closely with the head coach to keep preparations on track.

The brief delay won’t derail Al-Ahly’s ambitions as Koller readies to steer the team through a demanding stretch, blending rest with razor-sharp focus for the battles ahead.