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Zamalek coach: Too early to compare this season’s team with the 2019 squad

Hossam Ahmed

Photo Credit: Zamalek SC

Swiss coach Christian Gross, the manager of Zamalek, emphasized that his team approached today’s match against Nigeria's Enyimba in the CAF Confederation Cup with full seriousness, despite securing early qualification for the quarterfinals.


Zamalek secured a 3-1 victory over Enyimba in the sixth and final round of the group stage, with Seifeddine Jaziri netting twice in the game.


In the post-match press conference, Gross stated:


“Our goal was to win from the first minute. I was expecting the second goal to come before the end of the first half. I am delighted with the performance of the young players, as they showed great potential and proved to be remarkable talents.”


He added:


“We have an important match in four days. We deserved this victory against Enyimba and every player deserves time on the field to showcase their abilities. I spoke with the team about the importance of winning today to preserve the reputation and stature of Zamalek, even though qualification was already secured.”


About changing forwards, Gross explained:


“Hossam Ashraf has played the recent games, and both Seifeddine Jaziri and Nasser Mansi deserve opportunities. I needed to make changes in the lineup and that’s perfectly normal. Everyone is eager to play.”


Gross provided an update on the condition of Abdallah El-Said, saying:


“The injury of Abdallah is minor and he will be ready for Thursday's league match against Modern Sport.”


The coach spoke about the younger players, saying:


“The young players showcased their talent against Enyimba today. They need to work hard and stay committed to improve their skills and abilities. I enjoy coaching players who strive to prove themselves. Mostafa Shalaby is extremely talented and needs consistency in his performances. For Konrad Michalak, it’s more challenging because Shalaby’s brilliance keeps Michalak on the bench.”


Addressing comparison with the 2019 Zamalek squad, Gross said:


“It’s too early to compare this season’s team with the 2019 squad. Our goal is to win every match but the journey to the title is still long.”


Concluding his remarks, Gross admitted the difficulty in selecting a primary striker:


“Choosing the main striker is not an easy task. It’s challenging, but fairness must always prevail.”


Final Group D Standings:


1. Zamalek (Egypt) – 14 points


2. Al Masry (Egypt) – 9 points


3. Enyimba (Nigeria) – 5 points


4. Black Bulls (Mozambique) – 4 points


Both Zamalek and Al Masry have advanced to the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals.

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