For a club that lives and breathes victory, even the smallest stumble feels like an earthquake. This week, the ground shook in Cairo as Ahly bid farewell to head coach Jose Riveiro, parting ways by mutual consent after a start to the season that has left fans stunned, restless, and searching for answers.
“Ahly thanks coach Jose Riveiro and his assistants for the time they spent with the team and has terminated his contract with the club amicably,” read the official statement. Behind the calm words, however, lay the storm of disappointment.
The breaking point came Saturday night: a 2-0 defeat to fierce rivals Pyramids FC, a loss that echoed like a thunderclap through the stands, igniting chants of frustration from a fan base unaccustomed to mediocrity. One win in four league matches — five points in total — is a statistic unworthy of the reigning champions.
The campaign had begun with shaky foundations:
- A 2-2 draw with Modern Sport that felt more like a warning sign than a warm-up.
- A flashing spark in the 4-1 win over Pharco FC, soon dimmed by a goalless stalemate with Ghazl El Mahalla.
- And finally, the bitter fall against Pyramids — the blow that ended Riveiro’s Cairo chapter.
For Riveiro, 49, who arrived in May with a two-year deal and hopes of restoring Ahly’s continental dominance, this was a swift and merciless descent. Even leading the team to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup brought no reprieve; elimination in the group stage left scars that only deepened with the domestic slump.
The club has yet to unveil his successor, but its planning committee has promised to announce a fresh vision for the technical staff. In the meantime, the international break offers Ahly a moment to breathe, to regroup, and to rediscover the fire that has long made them Africa’s most feared side.
On 14 September, the Red Devils return to the battlefield against Enppi. And the question lingers: will Ahly rise again as a storm reborn, or will the cracks widen into a crisis?
