Egyptian giants Al Ahly have sacked their Portuguese manager Ricardo Soares just two months into the job. The 47-year-old was appointed in June to keep alive hopes of winning the Egyptian Premier League title, only to see rivals Zamalek claim a second consecutive crown.
“The club would like to thank Soares and his assistants for their service and we wish them all the best in the future,” Al Ahly said in a statement.
Soares had signed a two-year deal when he replaced Pitso Mosimane, having led Portuguese top-flight club Gil Vicente to fifth place in 2021-22.
Mosimane had led the team to two African Champions League titles, but lost out in this season’s final to Wydad Casablanca.
The 58-year-old also secured two consecutive third-placed finishes at the Club World Cup, including the 2021 edition played in February.
NEWS ANALYSIS
Analysis by Emad Abdeljalil, BBC Arabic in Cairo
Ricardo Soares was brought in to save Al Ahly’s season and keep them in the Egyptian Premier League title race following Pitso Mosimane’s departure.
However, Al Ahly’s performances have not improved since the arrival of Soares, as they lost out on the title to arch-rivals Zamalek for the second consecutive season.
The club also missed out on second place to Pyramids, and finished outside the top two for the first time since the 1991-92 season. Soares also lost the Egyptian Cup final against Zamalek, losing 2-1.
As a result, rumours started to emerge about Soares’ potential departure, and they only grew stronger. Despite all that, Soares insisted on Tuesday that he would be staying and would prepare for next season.
Even though Ahly finished third in the table, the Cairo club will still feature in the African Champions League in 2022-23, as the Egyptian Football Association confirmed their continental competitors when the Red Devils were in the top two.
