Pyramids FC will be eager to make a strong start under new coach Takis Gonias as they meet Ahly, who are back to domestic action after almost a seven-week hiatus, in a tough Egyptian Premier League clash on Thursday. The big-spending club are enduring their worst season since they were bought by current owner Salem Al Shamsi in the summer of 2019. The Emirati investor followed in the footsteps of former owner Turki Al-Sheikh, pumping millions of Egyptian pounds in transfers in a bid to challenge Ahly and Zamalek for honours. However, Pyramids still appear a disjointed and incoherent side, with their porous defence costing them dear despite an embarrassment of riches upfront. They lie 10th in the league table with 34 points, 27 behind leaders Zamalek, although they still have five matches in hand. Their African Confederation Cup exit at the hands of Morocco's Raja in the semis on Sunday proved the final straw for Argentinean coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena, with the club dismissing him and naming Gonias as his successor. The Greek coach, who led Wadi Degla for two years before being sacked in February 2020 as the club faced relegation threat, is known for his possession-based style and he will be keen to make a statement of intent in the high-profile clash against Ahly. Defending champions Ahly start their mission to bridge a 20-point gap with leaders Zamalek as they begin a tight run of fixtures after they had eight games rescheduled due to their African Champions League commitments. The Red Devils, who settled for a 0-0 draw against Pyramids in the reverse league fixture in January, are in a buoyant mood after edging closer to a second straight Champions League title, having set up a final meeting with Kaizer Chiefs after an emphatic 4-0 aggregate victory over Tunisia's Esperance. Ahly take on Pyramids without key defender Ayman Asrhaf, who is suspended, and veteran winger Walid Soliman, who picked up a hamstring injury that will rule him out of action for up to four weeks. Pyramids have all their key players available, including ex-Ahly trio Abdallah El-Said, Ramadan Sobhi and Ahmed Fathi. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
