Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane has revealed that Bafana Bafana international Percy Tau will miss the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup.

The South Africa international suffered an anterior muscle injury during Ahly’s humiliating 3-0 defeat by Smouha in the Egyptian League Cup this past weekend.

Tau subsequently played a part in Ahly’s 1-1 draw with National Bank of Egypt SC at the Al Ahly WE Al Salam Stadium on match-day five of the Egyptian Premier League Cup on Sunday.

The former Mamelodi Sundowns star is expected to be out for up to four weeks. It could not have come at a worse time for Mosimane, whose charges are gearing up for the 2022 Fifa Club World Cup which starts next weekend.

“We fought with the youngsters until the end. I am so happy for the young ones. They fought again today,” Mosimane told his club’s official website.

“We are having difficulties because of the injuries and also coronavirus. Before today’s match, we lost Mostafa Shobier, Mohamed Maghraby and also Amr Moheb, the team’s interpreter, because of coronavirus.

“I have to look after the team that I have now. It is not possible to bring all the team here while having all these injuries. Percy Tau played against Smouha, and now he is injured and will miss the Fifa Club World Cup. We do not want to have any more injuries.

“We lost Mohamed El Shenawy, Percy Tau, Akram Tawfik, Hossam Hassan, Hamdy Fathy, Badr Benoun, and also Salah Mohsen. The situation is very difficult but we have the spirit. I saw Ali Maaloul playing with Tunisia and he came back with no injuries, also the same thing for Aliou Dieng.

“It’s a difficult time for us to go to the Fifa Club World Cup. Last year we went to the competition with a full team and Ali Maaloul was the only player out, unlike this time.

“The condition of the players who played against Smouha will be better. Those players had just recovered from Covid-19 and they will be better in the upcoming few days.

“We had to put the team in a medical bubble in the last two days. We have the confidence and the spirit that we will give our best in the Fifa Club World Cup,” he concluded.