Ahmed Hassan will miss Ahli's anticipated league game at Ismaili on Saturday due to a groin strain, the veteran midfielder said on Friday. "I need a three-day rest before returning to action," Hassan told FilGoal.com. The Egypt skipper put in some superb displays in Ahli's first 12 games, notching seven goals and creating several others as the team aim to win the league title for the sixth consecutive season. Promising youngster Ahmed Shokri is expected to play as a playmaker instead of Hassan. The league leaders will also have to do without long-term absentees Mohamed Abou-Treika and Moataz Eno when they visit fierce rivals Ismaili, who are five points behind the Red Devils. Mercurial midfielder Mohamed Barakat is yet to fully recover from a hamstring injury while stand-in defender Ahmed Al-Sayed faces two months on the sidelines with a broken rib. Angolan winger Gilberto, who used to be a regular member of Ahli's starting eleven but is playing second-fiddle to Egyptian international Sayed Moawad this season, is also ruled out of the match due to injury. Ahli, who were held to two successive draws without their key players, will be boosted by the return of strike duo Emad Meteb and Francis Doe though.
