Ahly have officially excluded eight players from the team's African Squad; including Rami Rabia, Saleh Gomaa, Ahmed Adel, Phakamani Mahlambi and Akram Tawfik. Mohamed Naguib, Hussein El-Sayed and Amr Barakat were also missing from the 22-man squad announced by the Cairo giants on Monday night. Defender Rabiaa is confirmed to be sidelined for two months due to injury, while Gomaa recently fell out of favor at the club for disciplinary reasons. Substitute keeper Ahmed Adel is reportedly close to joining Egyptian League rivals Maqassa. Mahlambi, Tawfik, El-Sayed and Barakat didn't play regularly this season under head coach Hossam El-Badry. Ahly is allowed to add new players to the African squad until the end of January, but they should pay $500 for each one added. Egyptian Premier League title-holders, Ahly, will represent Egypt in the African Champions League this season alongside Maqassa. Last season's Champions League runners-up Ahly will face the winner between Gabon's CF Mounana and Burkina Faso's Rail Club du Kadiogo in the tournament's round of 32. The first leg will be played in Egypt, while the return match will be away.
Ahly's African squad: Goalkeepers: Sherif Ekramy, Mohamed El-Shenawi Defenders: Ahmed Fathi, Mohamed Hani, Basem Ali, Ali Maaloul, Sabry Rahil, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf Midfielders: Hossam Ashour, Amr El-Sulaya, Hisham Mohamed, Walid Soliman, Mido Gaber, Ahmed Hamdy, Ahmed Hamoudi, Eslam Mohareb, Karim Nedved, Abdallah El-Said Strikers: Marawan Mohsen, Walid Azaro, Junior Ajayi (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
