At the Alexandria Short Film Festival, former Egyptian football star Islam El-Shater commented on the departure of Swiss coach Marcel Koller from his position as Al Ahly's head coach following the team's unexpected exit from the African championship. El-Shater emphasized that he had hoped Koller would continue leading the team even in the event of a defeat and elimination, noting that he had stated this before the match against Sundowns.

In statements to the radio show "Leeba W El Tania" presented by media personality Karim Ramzy on Mega FM, El-Shater said:
"I wished Koller would stay on even if we lost the match and exited the tournament. I had faith in his abilities and in the performances he had delivered with the team in many matches. However, what happened in the Sundowns match forced us to reconsider his position."
He added: "I agreed with Koller’s lineup and tactics in the first half, but in the second half, we needed to make some changes to improve performance and regain control of the match."

El-Shater pointed out that "bringing on Afsha earlier was necessary to circulate the ball better, especially with players like Bencharki and El-Shahat who could have added much to the attack." He explained: "Unfortunately, Koller made a mistake by not making the needed changes at the right time. The team needed more flexibility and adjustments to energize the players and shift the game's momentum, especially as the match was open and full of opportunities."

El-Shater also stressed that "Koller did a good job with Al Ahly during his tenure, playing a major role in restoring the team’s competitiveness in local and continental championships. However, in the Sundowns match, he failed in some tactical aspects, which had a negative impact on the team."
He pointed out that "the coach had reached a difficult stage with the players, especially as some began to feel frustrated with the playing style and tactics in recent matches. Some internal disagreements emerged within the team, which led to Koller losing his technical grip."

He continued, saying:
"Lately, the team suffered from technical problems on the field, and Koller was unable to fix the situation quickly and effectively. Late substitutions and the lack of improvement in collective performance were factors that worsened the situation. In the end, late changes in such matches can complicate matters even further, causing Al Ahly to face increasing pressure."

El-Shater concluded by saying:
"Koller’s departure was not entirely surprising considering what happened in the Sundowns match. Nevertheless, we must appreciate everything he offered during his time with the team. But he had reached a stage where it was very difficult to correct the course or properly motivate the players. Al Ahly must now focus on the upcoming phase, achieve technical stability, and get back to winning ways."