New faces, fresh hopes as Al Ahly open Egyptian League campaign against Al Sharqiya Enppi

Al Ahly will open their Egyptian Premier League campaign against Al Sharqiya Enppi at Cairo International Stadium on Sunday at 8 p.m. CLT (1700 GMT).

The Red Eagles prepared for the new campaign with a pre-season camp in Spain from 6 to 20 August, where they played three friendlies, culminating in a match against LaLiga giants FC Barcelona.

Al Ahly enter the new season with several new faces after making seven signings during the summer transfer window, including Moroccan forward Soufiane Bendjedid and Algerian forward Monsef Bekrar, as well as left-back Tawfik Mohamed and midfielders Akram Tawfik, Ali Mahmoud, Mahmoud Salah and Aqtay Abdallah.

They have also appointed a new coaching staff headed by Moroccan coach Hussein Ammouta.

Al Ahly will be without defender Yassin Marie, who is suspended. Defender Achraf Dari, midfielder Reda Slim and new signings Tawfik Mohamed and Mahmoud Salah, as well as Emam Ashour, also missed the squad for the league opener.

Al Sharqiya Enppi are a merged team formed from petroleum company-backed Enppi and public club Al Sharqiya.

Al Ahly have played Enppi 46 times in the league since the petroleum side were promoted to the Egyptian Premier League in the 2002-03 season. Al Ahly won 31 of those matches, Enppi won four, and the teams drew 11 times.

Al Ahly have played Al Sharqiya 10 times. Their first meeting was on Sept. 28, 1974, when Al Ahly won 4-0. Across those matches, Al Ahly won seven times and the teams drew three times.

The new season will retain last season's format, with some modifications.

The 20 participating teams will compete in a single-round first phase, with each side playing 19 matches.

The top six teams will then advance to a Championship Group, while the remaining 14 will compete in a Relegation Group, with four teams to be relegated.