Without fans, Ahly begin African title quest against Wydad

Egyptian league winners Ahly open their African Champions League group stage campaign against Morocco's Wydad Casablanca on Sunday

Ahly, deprived of the enthusiastic fan support which was key to helping them retain their Egyptian Premier League crown, host Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in African Champions League Group B opener on Sunday.
The match will be played at Cairo's Military Academy Stadium behind closed doors, due to a sanction imposed on Ahly by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Red Devils were given the punishment after their fans lit many fireworks during the team's 1-0 home win over Zambian outfit ZESCO United in the preliminary round.
“The hardest thing will be missing our fans. They did a great job this season and have been a massive push for us in every game,” Ahly's Portuguese assistant coach Pedro Barny told CAFonline.com.
“But our players have enough experience to pass this situation, and we will have them back in the next games.”
Ahly are buoyant after maintaining their domestic supremacy with a seventh consecutive league title in a remarkable comeback that saw them bridge a six-point gap with Zamalek before finishing the season with a seven-point lead over their arch rivals.
Much of the credit goes to Portuguese manager Manuel Jose, who turned around Ahly's fortunes after taking over at the club for a third spell last January. He will now be looking to help the Cairo giants win a record-extending seventh continental title.
Jose steered Ahly, Africa's undisputed number one club, to four Champions League triumphs in 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2008.
“We face a lot of obstacles but we will do our best to pass them. The game will be tough because every team in the continent wants to beat Ahly as we are the best in Africa,” Pedro added.
Wydad, who are making their second Champions League appearance, are aiming to mount a serious challenge for the title after appointing Swiss Michel Decastel as their new coach.
Decastel knows Egyptian football well, given that he managed Zamalek for several months in 2009. Under his guidance, Zamalek drew and lost in two Cairo derbies against Ahly.
“Winning trophies is all what counts with any big club. Our mission will be difficult in the Champions League but we have big ambitions,” said Decastel, who is in his second stint with Wydad having left them in 2004.
Ahly's new signing El-Sayed Hamdy, who arrived from Petrojet, could have the chance to make his debut against Wydad. Classy playmaker Mohamed Abou-Treika could also start after making his comeback from injury in the final league game against Maqassa.
The hosts will be without veteran midfielder Ahmed Hassan and striker Osama Hosny who both departed the club this season. In-form attacking midfielder Mohamed Barakat will also miss out after fracturing his hand in the late hours of Saturday.
Wydad's spending spree this summer saw them sign four new players; Yacine Rami, Hicham Amarni, Yassin Lakhal and Youssef Kaddioui.