Published Date: 2025-04-24 12:59:58 Updated At: 2025-05-13 18:05:38

The Swiss coach, Marcel Koller, spoke about Al Ahly's preparations for the upcoming second leg against South Africa's Sundowns in the CAF Champions League semi-final. This match is of great importance for Al Ahly, following a goalless draw in the first leg, leaving the team in need of a victory to secure qualification for the final.

In a press conference discussing the match, Koller said: "We are extremely well-prepared for this match. We know it will be very difficult, especially since the first leg ended in a goalless draw. However, we at Al Ahly have confidence in our abilities, and we will do everything we can to win. The fans will play a decisive role, and we expect them to fill the stadium and support us from the start to the end of the match. We need their support to achieve our goal."

Koller continued: "The most important thing is to win, because any draw in this match will favor Sundowns, except for a goalless draw, which would lead to penalty kicks, a situation we do not prefer at all. We are working hard to achieve the desired result and avoid reaching that stage. We are preparing the team fully for a win because our goal is to reach the final, and I am confident that we can do that."

He also pointed out that Sundowns is a strong team, but emphasized that Al Ahly has the qualities to win: "We are also a strong team, and we will not allow statistics that say we haven’t won against Sundowns in a long time to affect us. We are playing at home, in front of our fans, and we have all the ingredients to achieve the desired result. We are focusing on team performance and winning the match."

Regarding penalties, Koller said: "Penalties are a very difficult situation, even though we practice them regularly. The concentration of the players in training cannot be the same as in the match. We know Sundowns’ goalkeeper is strong, but we also have a goalkeeper who is considered one of the best in the continent and has saved many penalties in previous matches. Focus must be high from all players, especially in attack, to take advantage of every opportunity."

He also mentioned: "Sundowns is not Orlando Pirates, and their victory over us in the group stage had special circumstances. We scored a goal in that match which was disallowed due to the lack of video assistant referees. Now we are focused on the upcoming match, and we need to win by at least one goal. If Sundowns scores, we must win by two goals. The focus on the match is the most important thing, and nothing else."

Koller continued: "We know that pressure will be on both teams, especially since we are playing at home and in front of our fans. But positive pressure can be a strong motivator to win. I don’t think the players will feel any undue pressure because they are accustomed to these situations, and we trust their ability to handle these moments." He added: "It’s important for us to have strong harmony within the team and for everyone to cooperate to achieve the win. Every player has an important role in achieving success, and that’s why teamwork is key."

He also spoke about key players for the match, saying: "We have a group of players with a lot of experience in such matches, in addition to young players who can add value to the team. Everyone is ready, and we won’t leave any opportunity for the opponent. We will have a high focus on both defense and attack, and the goal is to deliver a comprehensive performance that ensures our win and qualification for the final." He confirmed: "We know that Sundowns is a special team, but we are also a strong team determined to achieve our goal. We will work on exploiting their weaknesses and giving our best in the match."

Koller explained that he places great importance on the tactical side of the game, stating that the team is working on executing a well-thought-out plan that focuses on closing defensive spaces while also exploiting attacking opportunities: "We know that Sundowns relies on counter-attacks, so we must be cautious in dealing with such attacks. We will try to be more creative in attack and deliver the expected performance on the pitch."

He also noted that the team has prepared well for the match through intensive training and analyzing previous matches, including the encounter with Sundowns in the group stage: "We have studied Sundowns’ strengths and weaknesses in detail, and we are prepared to handle any challenges that may arise in the match. We were looking forward to performing well in the first leg, but now we have a bigger chance to achieve the desired result in the upcoming match."

In conclusion, Koller emphasized that focus in the match is the key to achieving qualification: "We want to win regardless of the circumstances, and the players are fully prepared to achieve this goal. We will fight on our home ground in front of our fans to achieve the dream of reaching the final." He added: "We know that this team has the ability to go further, and we just need to be at our best to achieve that."