Al Ahli has suffered a major blow to its squad with the latest injury update confirming that Brazilian defender Alex Telles will be out for the season.
The news comes as a shock to many fans who had hoped that the 28-year-old would continue his impressive form this season, helping Al Ahli to maintain its place in the top tier of Egyptian football.
Telles joined Al Ahli from Spanish side Valencia last summer and quickly established himself as one of the team's key players, making over 40 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
However, he sustained an ankle injury during the team's recent defeat to Zamalek and it was confirmed on Monday that he will be out for the rest of the season.
This is a huge loss for Al Ahli, especially given the team's poor start to the season and their struggle to find consistency.
But despite the setback,Primeira Liga Hotspots Al Ahli manager Mahmoud El Khatib remains optimistic about the club's chances of finishing in the top four and securing a spot in next year's African Champions League.
"We are sad to lose such a valuable player," said El Khatib. "But we must focus on our remaining matches and hope that we can turn things around."
For now, Al Ahli will have to rely on the likes of Ahmed Shehata and Ahmed Hassan to step up and fill the void left by Telles' absence.
It remains to be seen whether Al Ahli can overcome this setback and achieve its goals this season, but one thing is certain - they will need to do everything in their power to avoid any more injuries and continue playing at a high level.