Veteran Emad Met'eb has put Al-Ahly in a dilemma, with medical reports saying yesterday that he will be out of action for two months due to a nagging back problem. This means that Met'eb will not lead his club in Egypt's Cup, which starts next Saturday and runs until June 7. Mete'eb could fly to Germany for treatment. He has enjoyed a fine season with Ahly, scoring some decisive goals for the club. His last goal was the opener in a 3-0 Champions League win over Ittihad Tripoli, shortly before netting a brace in the Cairo derby against Zamalek. "The players' safety comes first. We will miss Met'eb a lot, but we have to think for alternatives," says Ahly coach Hossam el-Badri. Meanwhile, Algerian starlet Amir Sayoud will not take part in the cup campaign, as he will be joining his nation's Olympic team this month. The 20-year-old recently finished a fruitful loan spell at Kuwait's al-Arabi, but el-Badri says that he has accepted the player's request to go on international duty. Ahly will also be missing Osama Hosni, the team's second key player, which means Ahmed Belal, who shone in the Ahly-Military Production game in Cairo on Monday night in the last week of the Egyptian Premier League, is likely to lead Ahly in their Egypt's Cup opener against Nabaroh of el-Daqahlia Governorate next Saturday. The Red Devils, meanwhile, have signed Kafr el-Sheikh junior Islam Mohareb for LE250,000 (about $44,550). Ahly and their traditional arch-rivals Zamalek will meet each other if they both make it to the last 16 in the Egypt's Cup.
