Al Ahly SC: sore losers or a calculated victim strategy? | OneFootball

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Al Ahly SC: are they just sore losers?

Al Ahly SC/@e-s-tunis

21.03.26 14:00 CAF Champions League

Al Ahly SC

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Esperance

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Despite their illustrious history in the CAF Champions League, Egypt’s Al Ahly SC has become a heavy burden on the competition due to the constant controversies they’ve sparked in recent years.

Recently, the Club of the Century lashed out at Senegalese referee Issa Sy, accusing him of favoring their rivals, Tunisia’s Espérance, during the first leg of the quarter-finals of Africa’s premier club tournament.

Even though most pundits agreed the referee’s decisions were correct, Al Ahly stuck to their narrative of victimhood, whether through their powerful media machinery in Egypt or with the club’s fiery official statements.

Sore losers or calculated strategy?

This scenario has become a recurring theme in recent years, putting the Egyptian giants under heavy fire from African football fans across social media platforms.

Some observers have branded Al Ahly sore losers who refuse to acknowledge their rivals’ superiority, always seeking to tarnish their opponents’ victories through unsporting means.

Others have gone even further, accusing the club of following a calculated strategy of playing the victim to pressure referees and CAF officials.

A number of pundits have even called on CAF to discipline the Egyptian football powerhouse for their repeated unsporting conduct and their relentless attempts to benefit from refereeing and administrative decisions by pressuring officials and governing bodies.

CAF’s credibility on the line

Cairo International Stadium will set the stage next Saturday for the crucial second leg between Al Ahly and Espérance in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.

The Egyptian side lost the first leg 1-0, with Algerian star Mohamed Amine Tougai scoring from the penalty spot.

As expected, Al Ahly has deployed its media arsenal to ramp up pressure on Moroccan referee Jalal Jayed, who will officiate this African classic.

They also launched a scathing attack, via their official channel, on the CAF refereeing committee, claiming the Moroccan official lacks the experience necessary to handle such a decisive Champions League clash.

Some individuals have not been spared criticism, particularly Fouzi Lekjaa, CAF Vice President and President of the Moroccan Football Federation, who has been accused of seeking to eliminate Al Ahly from the competition.