For the first time in Egypt, Portuguese coach José Peseiro held a pre-match press conference as the manager of Zamalek on Wednesday.
This took place at the club’s media center, 24 hours before the team’s match against ZED FC on Thursday in the 16th round of the Nile Egyptian League. Peseiro has been in charge for two matches before following the practice commonly seen from top international clubs to keep the media informed about the team’s preparations and readiness for upcoming games.
Speaking about the match against ZED, Peseiro stated:
“The next match is important and we are aiming for victory because Zamalek is competing for the title. We want to take another step forward in the race. ZED has only conceded 10 goals, they like to press and play with intensity. We want to present our best performance in the game.”
Peseiro continued:
“Zamalek delivered a strong performance against Al Ahly. We need to stay focused and play seriously against ZED to secure the win. The team has high-quality players and we are working on improving our tactical execution, scoring goals, and avoiding conceding.”
The coach described the challenges of dealing with players absences as normal, saying:
“It’s normal to miss some players in certain matches whether due to suspension, like Nabil Emad Dunga, or injuries. I hope all players will be available in the upcoming games but this is part of football. The coaching staff is focused on preparing the available players.”
About the fans attendance in the stadiums, Peseiro said:
“Having fans in the stadium is crucial for me and the team. Everyone knows that. I don’t understand why they were banned from attending two matches. Against Petrojet, the fans supported us after we fell behind and in the Al Ahly match, they were fully behind the team. I urge Zamalek supporters to be cautious in the coming period to avoid further sanctions.”
Regarding dealing with team's games during Ramadan, Peseiro said:
“There will be a specific preparation plan for the team in Ramadan, but for now, our full focus is on the ZED match.”
He also indicated:
“I cannot give the players breaks due to the tight match schedule. However, if there is enough time between games, they will get rest because it is essential for the team. Sometimes, if I sense mental fatigue among the players, I grant them a break.”
Speaking about Egyptian football, Peseiro observed:
“The Egyptian league is not one where many goals are scored and I don’t know why. Personally, I prefer high-scoring games. If the Egyptian league had more goals it would be better, especially considering the presence of talented players and high-level coaches.”
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