Al Ahly’s friendly against Spanish side Europa proved to be more than just another preparation match, as the Egyptian giants suffered their first friendly defeat of the pre-season camp in Spain, losing 2-1 only days before their highly anticipated meeting with Barcelona.

The match was played at CEF Bosc de Tosca as part of Al Ahly’s preparations under head coach Hussein Ammouta. The coaching staff used the game to assess several players and evaluate the team’s readiness ahead of the new season.

A Difficult Start and Quick Damage

Europa took the lead in the 45th minute, giving Al Ahly a difficult start going into halftime. The Spanish side then doubled its advantage just three minutes after the restart, scoring again in the 48th minute.

Al Ahly responded by reducing the deficit through Achraf Bencharki, who found the net in the 65th minute. However, the Egyptian side could not complete the comeback, and Europa held on for a 2-1 victory.

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Despite the defeat, the match remains part of Al Ahly’s preparation program, with the team continuing its training camp in Spain until August 20. The focus is on improving match fitness, testing different options and preparing the squad for the upcoming season.

Barcelona Now the Main Attraction

Al Ahly started the match with Mostafa Shobeir in goal, while Mohamed Hany, Hady Riad, Amr El Gazzar and Karim Fouad formed the defensive line. Marwan Attia, Ahmed Nabil Kouka and Ahmed Sayed Zizo featured in midfield, with Achraf Bencharki, Taher Mohamed Taher and Oktay Abdullah leading the attack.

Attention now turns toward the camp’s biggest test, as Al Ahly are scheduled to face Barcelona on August 19 at Spotify Camp Nou in the Joan Gamper Trophy, providing a major finale to the Spanish training camp.

The defeat to Europa therefore gives Ammouta and his staff another opportunity to identify weaknesses and correct mistakes before the much bigger challenge against Barcelona, where the level, pressure and spotlight will be significantly greater.