By Farayi Mungazi BBC Sport

Mohamed Barakat holds the key for Ahly against Etoile Sahel

Ahly coach Manuel Jose is not a man to dish out praise lightly but he cannot hide his admiration for Mohamed Barakat.

It is easy to see why. The 29-year-old midfielder is a player who evokes a roar from the crowd every time he touches the ball.

Creative, imaginative and just occasionally outrageous, Barakat has had his fair share of controversy over the years but is desperate to be known as an Egyptian success story.

Barakat has been highly influential in Ahly's charge to the final of this year's African Champions League and Saturday's second leg in Cairo provides him with the perfect stage to perform.

"Barakat is a very skilled player. He is the key player in the team and its spirit as well," Jose said on Monday, ahead of the battle for African supremacy against Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.

Jose purred: "Barakat has the ability to lead his team to victory, even at crucial moments when everybody seems tense, he leads his team-mates in another direction."

He has proved his critics wrong and silenced them completely Manuel Jose Ahly coach

In the second leg of the semi-final against Zamalek, Barakat indeed showed vividly just why he is so crucial to Ahly's cause with a display that evoked memories of the great Mahmoud El-Khatib.

Granted, he may not be everyone's cup of tea but Portuguese coach Jose knows the damage Barakat can cause to the opposition.

He single-handedly took the game to Ahly's fiercest rivals and scored two goals which propelled Ahly into the final of Africa's premier club competition.

"The tougher the match gets, the more dangerous Barakat becomes because he's very good playing in two different positions, in midfield and as a forward," Jose said.

"That's the difference between a great player and a good player. Barakat has it all - talent, skill, spirit and intelligence."

After short spells with Saudi Arabian club Ahli Jeddah and Qatari side Al Arabi, Barakat was recruited by the Red Devils as they continued their rebuilding process two years ago.

The former Ismaili player now carries a burden of expectation with him as Ahly seek to overcome Etoile Sahel and re-establish themselves as the top dogs of African club football.

"When we signed him, everyone said he was not fit to play anymore. But he has proved his critics wrong and silenced them completely," Jose said.

Jose told BBC Sport that although Ahly are well served in other areas by some quality players, Barakat has been central to their success, danger personified and his team's chief strike weapon.

A knack of knowing where to pop up in attack has characterised each of his displays - and the result has been goals for Ahly in their 50-plus unbeaten run and more than 50 caps for the Pharaohs.