All eyes on Sundowns as Pyramids ignore the chaos from back home

Pyramids, who are second on the log in the domestic league, two points behind Egyptian giants and the most successful African football club, Al Ahly, with only one game to go, play their final league game next Tuesday. 

As they look forward to the first leg at Loftus stadium tomorrow afternoon, Elgabas can’t hide the uncertainty in his camp.

"To be completely honest, it's not easy to be at this stage of the season with so much going on in the league. The issue back home in the league has taken from some of the team's energy, but we know this is a different competition, and a CAF Champions League final, so we are fully alert and ready," said El Gabbas. 

READ: Fiston Mayele confirms Kaizer Chiefs link but now concentrating on the CAF CL final

The latest news coming from Egypt is that both Pyramids and Zamalek have turned to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging the Egyptian Football Association’s (EFA’s) decision not to deduct points from Al Ahly, after they failed to honour their Cairo derby against Zamalek.

If the decision is overturned, this would benefit Pyramids and put them in a favourable position going into the final game. El Gabbas still feels it’s vital that they get a good result at Loftus.

"We will try to do our best to get a positive result, and we also know that Sundowns play well in Egypt and in other places, so we are hoping that we can get a positive result tomorrow," stated the experienced talisman. 

Pyramids had previously met Sundowns in the Champions League group stages, with Sundowns winning 1-0 away and playing a goalless draw at home in 2023. 

Yesterday, African football was abuzz with the reveal of the new Champions League trophy, and it will be presented to the team that wins the two-legged final between Sundowns and Pyramids, and El Gabbas is hoping that they will be the first ones to hoist it up high.