Tuesday 07 April 2026 – 11:09 PM
Ali Maher, the technical director of the Ceramica Cleopatra team, confirmed that his team played a great match against Al-Ahly, stressing that the character of the team and the club was the biggest motivation for the response on the field.
Ali Maher, Ceramica coach: If I play against my father, I will not miss the match
Maher said: “I am not concerned about what is said, but we had to respond because this is the character of the team and the character of the club, and we were extremely focused on the match,” thanking everyone who spoke positively about the team, whether the management or the players.
The technical director added: “As long as you prepare well for the match, there will be no surprises. You can deal with any pressure, whether from the atmosphere or the refereeing. Every player knew his role well on the field, and I thank God for the result.”
He continued: “I will not talk about the arbitration, but the player’s hand was beside him, and Al-Ahly is a big club that does not wait for a penalty kick from a ball like this. It has the best players in Africa, and we missed more than one opportunity, and our Lord is just.”
Regarding the competition for the golden square and African participation, he explained: “From the beginning we set the goal of being in the golden square, because the top four participate in Africa, so is it reasonable for a team in a lower position to come and get a participation card?”
Maher revealed the good morale of player Islam Issa, stressing that he feels great support, and that his psychological state has improved a lot, adding: “His father, who found him next to him, made him forget the injury, and God willing, he will return better than the first.”
The technical director touched on the competition in the league, saying: “Pyramids, with all its money, did not succeed in winning the league, and Ceramica is quietly making a case, and the league can be won, but it requires time, continuity, and great potential.”
He referred to his philosophy of working with the team: “We are trying to create a personality for Ceramica and redevelop the players, as happened with Islam Issa, who was not participating with Pyramids.”
Maher concluded his statements, stressing his permanent ambition against Al-Ahly and Zamalek: “I am very greedy in these matches, and I deal with flexibility to achieve a positive result, and I have never thought about any words said about me. Even if I play against my father, I will still want to win, because I love my job very much.”
