A former Egyptian football star has publicly criticised Al Ahly head coach Jose Riveiro following the club's disappointing start to the 2025/26 Egyptian Premier League season.
The Red Devils were held to a surprising 2-2 draw against Modern Sport FC in their opening league fixture at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.
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Given Ahly’s stature as 12-time CAF Champions League winners, fans and pundits all expect the team to dominate so-called smaller oppositions, especially on home ground.
However, the performance in Cairo fell short of expectations, raising early concerns about the team's direction under the former Orlando Pirates tactician.
After the match, the Ahly head of scouting, Hany Ramzy, questioned Riveiro’s squad selection, pointing to players he believes would have secured a more convincing result for the coach.
"Modern Sport coach Magdy Abdel-Ati was able to close the spaces and play a strong defensive style, while Al-Ahly was determined to play from deep, which was wrong. It would have been better to rely on the flanks," Ramzy said per Aldawla News.
"Trezeguet and Zizo play mainly in the middle, while Mohamed Shoukry and Mohamed Hany are not present on the flanks, which is wrong and helped Modern Sport's game plan.
"Even Mohamed Sherif didn't perform well because he played in the middle of the crowd and never received the ball because he was being watched by three players. He received the ball in the middle and lost it easily under the heavy pressure from the opposing defenders.
"Mohamed Hany's performance in some matches is average, and I think his capabilities should be exploited. It would be better for Zizo to play on the right side. Al-Ahly has many stars, and there must be a squad capable of playing as a starter in the coming period," he explained.
"Riveiro did not read the opponent well, and the substitutions were late. Aliou Dieng must return to the starting lineup because he plays at a fast pace. He has several advantages, including strength and speed.
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"The slow pace at which Al Ahly played helped Modern Sport implement its game plan. The ambitions of Al Ahly fans are very high, but there is no such thing as winning every match by a large score. The team had negative possession most of the time against Modern Sport."
With title expectations sky-high and a demanding fanbase watching closely, pressure is already mounting on Riveiro to deliver positive results before frustration begins to boil over.
