By Amr Shaheen BBC Sport, Cairo

Aboutrika has been in flying form for Ahly this season

Egyptian side Ahly are regarded by many as the most successful club in African football.

The Confederation of African Football named Ahly the continent's club of the last century and the Cairo side still lead Caf's all-time ranking for African clubs.

Ahly, who proudly claim to have 40 million fans across the Middle East, are witnessing one of their most fertile periods.

Their dominance of African club competition in the 1980s, when they won two Champions League titles, is being replicated by the current crop of players.

Ahly won Africa's most coveted club trophy last year and in the process secured the best unbeaten run in world club football, surpassing the 54-game achievements of Brazilian side Santos and Uruguayan club Penarol.

Led by Portuguese coach Manuel Jose, the four-time African champions have some of Egypt's top internationals - including goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, defender Wael Gomaa, striker Emad Moteab and reigning BBC African Player of the Year Mohamed Barakat.

Ahly strolled to victory in last year's Champions League but they had to grind to reach this year's final because of injuries to six key players - Barakat, Moteab and Angola's Gilberto among them.

The tragic death of defender Mohamed Abdelwahab in August also compounded their woes.

But in the absence of such key players, inspirational midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika has guided the inexperienced side to their second successive final.

Ahly are chasing a record-equalling fifth Champions League

"If any other club faced such conditions, they would not have been able to get past the group stage," Ahly defender Emad El Nahhas said.

"Aboutrika was the one who made all the difference for us."

The 28-year-old, who has cast his magic spell on every game, has become the fans' favourite.

"His ability to evoke the fans' roar with his performance is similar to the way David Copperfield performs one of his magic tricks," an Egyptian journalist wrote.

Ahly are even reported to have turned down a US$9million offer from an English club to prise away the midfielder.

"Aboutrika is priceless for us," coach Jose said.

Even though some of Ahly's injured players are back, the club will rely on Aboutrika when they face Tunisia's CS Sfaxien in this year's final.

Aboutrika is cautious of their opponents, who ended Ahly's two-year unbeaten continental run in July, ahead of the grande finale.

Sfaxien defeated Ahly 1-0 in the competition's group stages and it was the Cairo club's first defeat on African soil since July 2004.

"I know that most people believe that we are favoured to keep our title, but we should not forget that Sfaxien were the ones who ended our undefeated record," Aboutrika said.

The Tunisians are well aware of the threat posed by Aboutrika's role and coach Mrad Mahjoub has his own plans to contain the talented player.

"He is a first-class player and we intend to mark him closely," the Tunisian coach added.

Yet the midfielder should not be Mahjoub's sole concern as Barakat returned during the aggregate semi-final defeat of Ivorian side Asec earlier this month.

Ahly have also been buoyed by the return to form of Angolan striker Flavio, the club's top scorer this season.