José Peseiro: There are attempts to distract Zamalek, they won't succeed

Zamalek head coach José Peseiro stated that the second leg against South African side Stellenbosch in the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals will be a difficult match.

The Egyptian giants will host Stellenbosch on Wednesday at 4:00 PM GMT after the first leg in South Africa ended in a goalless draw.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Peseiro said:

"We’re facing a well-organized team. We have confidence in ourselves and are fully prepared for the match. The team trained seriously with the aim of winning and securing qualification to the semi-finals."

"There are attempts to distract Zamalek before the match, but the atmosphere within the team is good, and all players are happy. These distraction attempts will not succeed."

Peseiro continued:

"Whenever I notice any negative aspects, I try to constantly work on improving them during training—whether defensively or offensively. Zamalek delivered a solid defensive performance in the last match and in the first leg against Stellenbosch, but the team wasn’t up to the desired level offensively. We evaluate the team’s performance, explain the weaknesses to the players, and work to improve while maintaining the team’s organization."

The coach also praised Zamalek star winger Ahmed Sayed "Zizo", saying:

"Zizo is one of the best players in Egypt right now. He plays for Zamalek, and I’m very happy with him and what he brings to the team."

He concluded by saying:

"Stellenbosch are strong in offensive transitions and set-pieces. They are a good and organized team."