The two teams will compete for the Champions Golden Cup in the Garden City, and there is still plenty of time to get your tickets to catch a glimpse of Totti, known affectionately as the ‘King of Rome’, in what could be his final game for the Giallorossi.
The 39-year-old one-club man is an icon in his homeland and a legend among the Roma faithful, having played more than 750 games in 24 seasons with the Eternal City club.
He is currently in negotiations with the club about a contract renewal but there are no guarantees the one-club man will be plying his trade at the Stadio Olimpico for a 25th straight season next year.
Among the other stars on show will be 23-year-old Egyptian Salah, who is sure to be a popular draw with Ahly and Arabic fans in general.
The game will kick off at 20:00 at the 25,000-capacity Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, home of Arabian Gulf League giants Al Ain.
Mohamed Al Qadi, operations director at the stadium, said: “Since its opening two years ago, HBZ Stadium has become the leading sports structure to host the world’s greatest teams and a complete, integrated platform which combines a healthy lifestyle and building generations which will lead the development of the sports sector in the UAE.
“Hosting the friendly game between Egypt’s Al Ahly and Italy’s Roma is part of our strategy which aims at making HBZ Stadium a center for attracting the most important sports, art and national events in order to provide the sports sector in the UAE with a new structure that strengthens its leading position at regional and
international levels.”
The match takes place five days after the conclusion of the Serie A season, in which Luciano Spalletti’s side finished third to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Meanwhile, Ahly are in the middle of a dominant campaign, currently five points clear of second-placed Zamalek at the top of the Egyptian Premier League.
The Red Devils are the most successful Egyptian club in history – having won a record 37 league titles and 35 domestic cups.
They are also the most successful team in African Champions League history – having won the competition
eight times.
Tickets for the game can be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.ae) and are available in eight different categories.
Mina Atef, from the event organisers iMCC, said: “HBZ Stadium was chosen to host this game due to its capabilities and exceptional characteristics, making it the first destination for major sports events.
“There is no doubt that hosting this European-African friendly match at this iconic stadium makes this remarkable event more astounding.”
Roma and Al Ahly have a strong connection, with this latest friendly set to be the third meeting between the two clubs since the turn of the millennium and the series is so far tied at 1-1.
In 2002 the teams met for the first time, with Al Ahly winning 2-1 in Cairo.
Six years later the teams met again in Egypt’s capital, with the Giallorossi gaining revenge by running out 3-0 winners.
Roma are one of the most popular teams in Egypt and the Middle East – a trend helped by Salah’s presence – the club has more Egyptian Facebook followers than any other European club.
