While Ahly, who wish to keep their superior record over Zamalek intact, approach Thursday’s Cairo derby in a relatively subdued mood, their arch-rivals took the unexpected step of garnering support from their passionate fans in a bid to break the hegemony of the Red Devils.
There has been no love lost between Zamalek’s outspoken chairman Mortada Mansour and the club’s die-hard supporter (Ultras White Knights) over the past year, as they were involved in several bust-ups including an attempt to assault the controversial lawyer.
But out of the blue, Mansour, who spent heavily in the close season to bolster an underachieving Zamalek squad, allowed Ultras White Knights to attend the latest training sessions ahead of the derby despite once branding them a “terrorist group”.
“Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you`re a man , you take it,” the controversial group said on its official Facebook page, posting pictures of several thousand supporters chanting feverishly in support of their players ahead of the derby.
Al Ahly
Although Ahly, who are seeking to equal their own record of winning nine league titles in a row, are stuttering in the competition this term, they seem calmer and confident going to the anticipated match.
They have a so-called psychological advantage over their nemesis, given their superior derby record which included an earth-shattering 6-1 victory in 2002 over a star-studded Zamalek side boasting the likes of Egypt’s all-time leading scorer Hossam Hassan, an Ahly star in the late 1980s and 1990s, and talented playmaker Hazem Emam.
“The derby is important, but we give it the same treatment we give to other matches of the season,” Ahly’s chairman Mahmoud Taher said in an interview with Egyptian Media.
“We go for a win over any opponent. It doesn’t matter who are we playing.”
Zamalek are on top of the league table with 40 points, eight clear of third-placed Ahly who have a game in hand.
