Sherif Hanashi, president of Algerian football club, Shabibat El-Qabael (JS Kabylie), promised on Wednesday to provide Egyptian football team Al-Ahly with “a fine reception” when the latter arrives in the Algerian city of Tizi Ouzo.
Al-Ahly is scheduled to play against his team later this month in the African Champions League.
“We received nothing but hospitality when we were in Ismailia in July,” said Hanashi. “And we plan to reciprocate that hospitality with all the Egyptian teams that come to play in Algeria.”
He added, however, that he could not be held responsible for any “problems” that might arise in the stadium, noting that this fell under the jurisdiction of the Algerian security services.
Last May, Egypt was fined US$88,160 after an attack on Algeria’s football team's bus before November's World Cup qualifier in Cairo. Four members of the Algerian delegation, including three players, were injured in the attack.
It was the latest twist to a long-running football feud between the two nations, which stretches back to a World Cup qualifier 20 years ago in Cairo, when Egypt won 1-0 to guarantee a place at the 1990 finals in Italy.
