FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.04.2007 21:21

Huge expectation in Cairo

The Egyptian media was out in force as the FC Barcelona expedition landed at Cairo airport. The presence of the European champions in the country has attracted major interest.

FC Barcelona arrived in Egypt at just after eight o’clock on Monday evening. The players and staff were given the red carpet treatment as they stepped into the terminal building and made their way into a city where even that late in the day, the temperature was over twenty degrees.

Media frenzy

The airport building was packed with photographers and TV cameras to welcome Frank Rijkaard and his star-studded squad. Security was also extraordinarily tight, which meant that although plenty of fans had accumulated outside the airport, very few were able to get a close look at the players.

Among the crowds awaiting the Barça entourage was Mahmoud El-Khteeb, one of the finest players ever to wear the Ah-Ahly shirt. He was considered the greatest African footballer of the 1980s and it was his task to welcome the guests to Egypt.

Tranquil flight

The flight from Barcelona took around four hours. The complete first team has travelled east (apart from the injured Motta, Belletti and Edmílson) to appear in a friendly with local side Al-Ahly, who are celebrating their centenary. Rijkaard has also brought three Barça B players on the trip, Jesús Olmo, Bojan Krkic and Giovani Dos Santos.

The expedition was led by vice president, Alfons Godall, as well as directors Joan Boix and Albert Perrin, and the club’s director of football, Txiqui Begiristain, among others. The players were joined on the flight by a number of journalists, relatives and friends, plus a small group of supporters.

“An honour to play in Cairo”

On arrival, Alfons Godall spoke to the local media, saying that it was “an honour to be here for this game. The players are happy to be here. Al-Ahly is a very good side who will make things difficult for us, but we will try to make it a great game”.