Ahly star Barakat denies rift with coach El-Badry

Ahly midfielder Mohamed Barakat has dismissed reports of a rift with his coach Hossam El-Badry, insisting that reaching the 2012 FIFA club World Cup in Japan is his main target. Recent reports claimed that the veteran player is angry at his coach after he was not included in the starting line-up during the club's 1-1 Champions League draw with Ghana's Chelsea last week. "All the reports about a rift between me and the coach are not true. I respect El-Badry's point of view of fielding me in the last minutes of the game to put pressure on the Ghanaian team," Barakat was quoted as saying by the club's official website on Saturday. The Red Devils are in preparations for a 2 September clash against DR Congo's TP Mazembe in the 5th match-day of the CAF Champions League Group stage. El-Badry will be without the services of Barakat and left winger Sayed Mowad in the game, both of whom received second yellow cards during last week's match against Chelsea. "I am focused on winning the Champions League title and reaching the Club World Cup finals in Japan," explained Barakat. "My team mates are doing their best in the training sessions to prepare well for the Mazembe clash," he added. In other news, Ahly have opted not to pursue their interest in signing Nigerian striker Onuoha Ogbonna, who plays for Tunisian club US Monastir and had a trial with the Cairo giants in the last week. Six-time African champions, Ahly current lead Group B with ten points, three ahead of TP Mazembe. Ghanaian side Chelsea are third in the group with five points. Ahly need only one point from the next two matches to qualify for the semi-finals. (ahram)