Title-holders Esperance will be without star player Youssef Msakni for the first leg of the Champions League final against Al Ahly on Sunday. The 21-year-old forward underwent surgery on Thursday after suffering from appendicitis and will not be part of the squad that travels to Egypt. Ahly will be at full strength and welcome back Mohamed Aboutrika, who has been suspended by the club since refusing to play in September's Super Cup in support of the clubs Ultra fans. Esperance are in the final for a third year in a row while it will be Ahly's first one since they won the title for a record sixth time in 2008, beating Coton Sport of Cameroon. Around 20,000 fans will be allowed in to see the game in Alexandria, it will be only the second match in Egypt that fans have been allowed in to see since February's Port Said tragedy. Ahly fans were among the more than 70 supporters that lost their lives during violent clashes as their team played Al Masry in Port Said in February. However, some of the more fanatical Ahly supporters, known as Ultras, said on their Facebook page that they will not return to watch their team until they feel justice has been served with respect to the fans that died in Port Said in February. Ahly official Mahmoud Allam confirmed the club has arranged for the families of the Port Said victims to be at the game. Allam added that the area where the Ultras usually stand will be dedicated to displaying pictures of those who lost their lives in February. Club officials believe that winning that tournament could prove to be the 'kiss of life' needed to revive football in Egypt. Defender Wael Gomaa is cautiously optimistic ahead of the match. "We are all ready for this game and we are aware that Esperance has great players but so does Ahly," he said. "We are capable of accomplishing a positive result on Sunday. We are optimistic and glad fans will be there to support us as always." Apart from Msakni the Esperance coach, Nabil Maaloul, has a full squad to choose from. "At the moment, we are preparing well for the final, everybody is here, apart from Msakni who is injured," he told BBC Sport. "The players are very focused and disciplined too. "Al Ahly are one of the greatest clubs in African football, they've got great players with a lot of experience, they have match winners who can make the difference at anytime in the match. "The result of the first leg will be crucial, we have managed to get good results in Cairo and I hope that will be the case again this time round." The second leg of the final will be at the Rades Stadium in Tunis on 17 November and the overall winners will qualify for December's Fifa Club World Cup in Japan.