Ahli veteran midfielder Mohamed Barakat he has backtracked on his decision to quit football in the wake of the Port-Said disaster. After witnessing numerous deaths inside the team's dressing room following the ill-fated clash at Masri, the 35-year-old announced his retirement and seemed firm on his stance as he did not train with his teammates this week. “I decided to backtrack on my decision because I felt it was made impulsively,” Barakat told Ahli's official website. “Everyone tried to talk me out of retirement and it was difficult for me to remain defiant after I saw how much they want me to keep on playing. “I will travel with the team to Dubai next Sunday as I hope the atmosphere there would help us overcome our sadness.” Few days ago, Ahli football director Sayed Abdul-Hafiz revealed that he tried to convince Barakat to resume training with the team but the latter looked insistent on his decision at the time. Meanwhile, Ahli are set for a private camp in the UAE as they prepare for next month's Champions League opener with a number of friendly games in March.
