Celebrations dominated the Zamalek club after the white team qualified to the final of the African Confederation Cup at the expense of Étoile Sportive du Sahel to lead the white team to the final of the tournament with a total of 1-0 in both games, to face the Moroccan RS Berkane in the final Confederation tournament.
Zamalek officials and the technical staff praised the fighting spirit of the Zamalek players to the extent that the technical staff described the players as lions as they were able to overcome the away game factor and won in the semi-finals.
Furthermore, Zamalek’s management immediately rewarded each player by giving each EGP 100,000 for their efforts in qualifying for the final. The management pledged a further reward if they won the title.
For his part, Zamalek announced that one of the best things in this tournament is that it is difficult.
Moreover, Zamalek’s president revealed that he asked the minister of youth and sports to play the African final of the Confederation in front of RS Berkane of Morocco, scheduled for 26 May at Cairo Stadium, instead of Borg El Arab in Alexandria, stressing that Zamalek plays for Egypt’s name and that its qualification for the final will not be less important than Egypt organising the African Nations Championship.
Regarding Zamalek’s intention to apply for some matches in the league, he commented that there will be coordination between Zamalek president and Hani Abu Reda, head of the Egyptian Football Association.
On the other hand, the intention within the Zamalek club is to file an appeal to the African Football Confederation (CAF) against the decision of the referee in the previous game of a red card toward player Mahmoud Abdel Rahim Genish.
Over and above, Zamalek officials confirmed that the referee did not announce the yellow card in the first incident and the second time he announced the first card and then the red card.
Additionally, Zamalek are hoping to restore their main goalkeeper’s efforts, especially as he was the star against ES Sahel in Tunisia.
Omar Al-Said, Zamalek’s striker, took the goalkeeper’s position after the red card in the extra time of the game in the second leg of the semi-final.
However, Zamalek is forced to renew the contract of Christian Gross under the improvement of the team’s results and continued to achieve victories under the Swiss coach, despite the reservations of the club’s president.
The Zamalek president announced that it is illogical that Zamalek crowned the league, the Confederation and the Cup, under the leadership of Gross, and then dispense with him, even if he was the worst coach. But officials of the White Castle said that renewal of the contract is deferred until the end of the confederation championship. The contract will officially end following the end of the confederation by the end of May.
