A bitter taste remains in the mouth of rival fans as foes Ahly and Masry face off in their first clash since Egypt's worst-ever football disaster in 2012, which sent shockwaves across the country and led to unfortunate consequences. Both sides lock horns in the calm Red Sea resort of El-Gouna behind closed doors in the Egyptian Premier League on Saturday, with tensions still running high among both sets of supporters. Ahly's hardcore supporters (Ultras Ahlawy) are still incensed after a court ordered the retrial of the defendants in the infamous Port Said case last year, including 21 people who were sentenced to death for killing rival Ahly supporters in the coastal city. More than 70 people – all Ahly fans – were killed after a pitch invasion by Masry's supporters following the end of an ill-tempered Premier League game on 1 February 2012. Masry's fans believe they were made scapegoats by the authorities, who are also accused by the Ahly supporters of orchestrating the carnage to punish them for their role in the 2011 revolution that ousted autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak. The 2011-2012 league season was called off after the tragedy and the following three seasons were held in an unfamiliar two-group format as Ahly and Masry were deliberately separated. Two of those seasons were also cancelled due to political turmoil. Masry have been banned from playing on their home soil since the Port Said disaster and they are forced to hold their home and away games this term in neighboring Ismailia. However, due to the hostile environment Ahly usually face in Suez Canal cities, Saturday's match will take place in the luxury El-Gouna resort, whose officials initially voiced concerns that such a game could have a bearing on tourism there. Riots The initial verdict in the notorious case sparked riots in Port Said in which dozens were killed after clashes with security forces in 2013. Ultras Ahlawy members were also not entirely happy with the verdict, with some looting and setting ablaze the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo. The families of the victims have urged Ahly to refrain from playing against Masry unless "justice is done". Ahly said they understand their anger but that it would be irrelevant for the club to withdraw. "We are a football team and we can't decide what games we play and what not. That's a decision that has to be taken by other authorities," said Ahly's Spanish coach Juan Garrido, who took over at the club last summer and led them to Egyptian Super Cup and African Confederation Cup triumphs. "Our obligation is to play on behalf of Ahly and represent our fans, always in the best possible way. For me and for our players, it's a very complicated situation. "Therefore, I ask everyone to understand our situation and to support our players because we always go to defend Ahly." Ahly's chairman Mahmoud Taher has echoed his sentiment, saying the "martyrs" would have never accepted an action that could harm the club, referring to the possible sanctions the Red Devils would face should they boycott the match. The squads of both sides still boast a handful of players who took part in the 2012 game, including Ahly's Hossam Ghaly, Mohamed Naguib and Hossam Ashour and Masry's Osama El-Azab and Mahmoud Abdel-Hakim. Tight security Tight security measures are in place to ensure the match would be trouble-free, with an interior ministry official telling Egyptian football website FilGoal.com that the game will be called off should tempers flare. Masry chairman Yasser Yehia said his team's players would wear an undershirt bearing the number 126 in a bid to ease tensions with Ahly. "The number refers to the 72 Ahly martyrs and 53 Masry martyrs [who were killed following the Port Said trial verdict] plus Amr Hussein, the Zamalek fan who was also killed," he said. "I understand the feelings of the Ahly board of directors and fans, and I know the pressure they were subjected to recently." Ahly, who are chasing a ninth successive league title, will miss key duo Walid Soliman and Hossam Ashour due to suspension. They lie fourth in the table with 27 points, 13 behind leaders Zamalek but they still have four matches in hand. Masry, who are aiming to improve under new Spanish coach Jose Maceda, welcome back midfielder Ashour El-Adham following a month layoff through injury. (For more sports news andupdates, followAhramOnlineSports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/119895.aspx
