Al-Ahly had officially announced that an agreement had been reached with the Catalan club to play the match, stressing that Al-Ahly Football Company had completed all arrangements related to the confrontation.
The Al-Ahly delegation that visited Spain included Ahmed Hossam Awad, a member of the club’s board of directors and the company, and Naira Ali, the company’s executive director, where the final touches were put on the agreement with Barcelona to hold the match within the Gamper Cup celebration.
The delegation also held meetings with Barcelona officials, including Gabriel Martinez, Director of Communications, and Marina Ives, Director of Strategic Projects, in the presence of representatives of Rio Sports, Mohamed Talaat and Karim Talaat, to discuss the organizational details of the match.
Al-Ahly confirmed that the participation comes within the framework of the football company’s strategy to enhance the club’s international presence and expand areas of cooperation with major sports clubs and institutions in Europe.
The good relations between the two clubs enhance the opportunities for cooperation between them, especially with the ongoing negotiations regarding the final transfer of Egyptian striker Hamza Abdel Karim to Barcelona, after he participated with the Egyptian national team in the World Cup and is currently going through the preparation period under the leadership of coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona has a long record in the Joan Gamper Cup, having won the title 47 times, while the last edition witnessed the Catalan team’s victory over Italian Como 5-0, in the match that was held at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.
