Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC have been dealt an unexpected setback ahead of their decisive final league match after head coach Jess Torop suffered a sudden health problem that required hospital treatment.
The club’s first-team doctor, Ahmed Gaballah, confirmed that the Danish manager was transferred to hospital in recent hours after experiencing what he described as a sudden medical emergency.
Gaballah said the coach received immediate medical attention under the supervision of specialists and reassured supporters that his condition had stabilised.
He stated that Torop’s condition is “reassuring and he is currently undergoing comprehensive examinations and tests to further ensure his well-being.”
The development comes just days before Al Ahly’s decisive Egyptian Premier League encounter against Al-Masry SC, a fixture that could determine the destination of the league title.
According to a source within the club, president Mahmoud Al-Khatib and acting football supervisor Sayed Abdel-Hafiz have closely monitored the coach’s condition since the incident occurred.
Despite concerns surrounding the manager’s health, the same source indicated there is optimism that Torop will still be able to accompany the squad to Alexandria for the final round of the league campaign.
The source added that the coach would continue undergoing extensive medical examinations before a final decision is made regarding his participation on matchday.
Al Ahly are scheduled to conduct their main training session on Monday evening before the coaching staff finalises the squad list for a closed training camp in Alexandria ahead of Wednesday’s match.
The team is then expected to complete its final preparations at Burj Al Arab before facing Al-Masry at the Egyptian Army Stadium in the final round of the championship phase.
The Cairo-based club remain in contention for the domestic title but must secure victory and rely on favourable results elsewhere.
Their direct rivals Zamalek SC are set to face Ceramica Cleopatra FC at Cairo Stadium, while Pyramids FC will meet Smouha SC at the Air Defense Stadium. All three matches are scheduled to kick off simultaneously at 20:00 local time.
Al Ahly have also received a significant boost on the injury front before the decisive fixture.
The squad is expected to be at full strength with the exception of Ahmed Nabil Koka, who will miss the encounter due to suspension after collecting a third yellow card.
Several key players have returned to full training after recovering from injuries, including Mostafa Shobeir, Hussein El Shahat, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Ahmed Ramadan Beckham, Karim Fouad and Moroccan defender Youssef Belamri.
Wednesday’s encounter is also expected to mark the final match of Torop’s spell in charge of Al Ahly, with his contract reportedly set to be terminated amicably once the current season concludes.
