Cairo giants Al Ahly have verified the disciplinary status of first team defender Ayman Ashraf ahead of their first leg clash against Esperance de Tunis in the CAF Champions League semifinal on Saturday.
A 1-1 draw was enough for the Red Devils to clinch a spot in the next round, knocking out Mamelodi Sundowns with a 3-1 victory on aggregate to mark their 17th semi-final appearance in the competition, the most for any team in Africa.
On the other hand, Esperance pulled a comeback against CR Belouizdad and winning the game on penalties after the tie ended with 2-2 draw on aggregate.
The encounter is scheduled to take place on June 19 in Rades with the return leg scheduled to be played on the 26th of the same month in Cairo.
Five days before the encounter, Al Ahly had contacted CAF to inquire about Ashraf’s position from the game after he had received a yellow card against RS Berkane in the CAF Super Cup and whether it would be effective in the Champions League competition.
However, CAF responded to Al Ahly to reassure the Red Devils that the two competitions are separate and not linked to each other, which means that the 30-year-old defender is eligible for selection in the game.
The Red Devils are in the hunt for their 10th Champions League title after triumphing their ninth African trophy in November 2020 defeating arch rivals Zamalek in the final.
Meanwhile, Esperance are looking to achieve their third CL success in the last four years having won four titles throughout their history.
