After the Confederation of African Football (CAF) suspended Ahly s striker Walid Azaron for two games, Ahly coach Patrice Carteron has two alternatives to fill the Moroccan player s place during Friday s showdown against Esperance in the Champions League final.
The record eight-time CAF Champions League winners Ahly defeated Esperance 3-1 in the first leg of the tournament s final at Alexandria s Borg El-Arab Stadium on Friday, but the game saw many objections from the Tunisian side concerning two controversial penalties awarded for Ahly during the game.
Esperance filed a complaint with African governing body, who reacted quickly to cool tensions from the Tunisian side, giving Ahly s striker Azaro a two-match suspension for disciplinary reasons.
Carteron now has another two strikers, Marwan Mohsen and Salah Mohsen, to replace the in-form attacker Azaro during the crucial showdown, which will take place in Rades Stadium on Friday.
The 29-year-old Marwan Mohsen is a burly striker who can be dominant in the air and can overpower defenders. He is also an experienced international player who can meet the technical staff s demands during a clash against tough opponent Esperance away from home in Tunisia.
Mohsen made 28 appearances with the Egyptian national team, including participating in the 2018 World Cup games in Russia. He played in all three matches before the Pharaohs were eliminated in the group stage.
Carteron s second choice to replace Azaro is Salah Mohsen, who is called a "mini-version" of Azaro with his pace, but he is a young player of 20 years old with a little experience in such tough games.
The Red Devils are now the favourite to win a ninth crown following the comfortable first leg advantage.
