Egyptian club Al Ahly have sent letter on Sunday, to CAF President Mr. Patrice Motsepe to use a neutral venue to host this year’s CAF Champions League final The Trumpet gathered.
Al Ahly, who are already a step into the final of the competition after crumbling Algerian club ES Setif 4-0 in the first leg of the semi-final in Al Salam stadium, Cairo, argued that it negates the rule of fair play to host the final in the country of any of the semi-finalist.
According to a statement on Al Ahly official website, www.alahlyegypt.com, the North African club proposed that since CAF did not choose a venue in the early stage of the competition, it should not pick a home ground of any of the four remaining teams.
The statement read: “Al Ahly SC sent an official letter on Sunday to Mr. Patrice Motsepe, the president of CAF, demanding a neutral venue for the 2022 CAF Champions League final,”
“Al Ahly highlighted in the letter that the final should not be hosted by one of the countries of the four teams competing in the CAF Champions League semi-finals and a neutral venue will provide equal chances for the four teams.
“Al Ahly stressed that the game should be held in a neutral venue, since CAF did not choose the hosting country in an earlier stage, noting that giving one of the four teams the home advantage in the final contradicts the fair play standards.
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“Al Ahly expressed their full trust in CAF’s professionalism and fairness and their commitment to preserving equal rights for the four competing teams,” the statement ended.
The Red Giant protest may be as a result of the 2017 outcome of the CAF Champions League final between Al Ahly and Wydad Athletic Club where they lost on aggregate having played a one-all draw in Cairo and fell by a goal in Morocco.
Al Ahly, who won ES Setif, with South African Percy Tau registering a brace alongside Taher Mohamed’s and substitute Mohamed Sherif’s goals, foresee a final cracker with Wydad AC who beat Angolan club, Petro de Luanda, 3-1 in Estádio 11 de Novembro.
