Boycott of the derby against Al Ahly: Mortada Mansour explains the reasons

Zamalek once again made headlines for all the wrong reasons, as the club failed to show up for the highly anticipated Cairo derby against Al Ahly on the fourth matchday of the Egyptian Premier League. Originally, the boycott was explained as a protest against disciplinary sanctions imposed on the club following incidents in the Egyptian Super Cup. However, club president Mortada Mansour later cited additional reasons for the no-show.

Initially, Mansour reportedly forbade the first team from traveling to the match. He then seemed to reverse this decision, announcing that a youth squad would represent Zamalek. Despite this change, no players reached the stadium, leaving Al Ahly as the only team present. Consequently, the Red Devils were awarded a victory by default.

Zamalek later claimed that the youth team bus was delayed due to traffic, explaining the absence as an unforeseen logistical issue. However, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) quickly dismissed this justification. In an official statement released on Tuesday, the EFA declared:

“We have determined that there were no obstacles preventing the team bus from reaching the site.”

The federation confirmed that further sanctions would be imposed on Zamalek for this unexpected and irregular behavior, emphasizing that such actions cannot be tolerated in the league.

This incident marks yet another controversy under Mansour’s leadership, following previous withdrawals and protests by the White Knights. The no-show not only damages the club’s reputation domestically but also raises questions about governance and professionalism in the Egyptian Premier League.

Al Ahly, meanwhile, benefited from the default win, maintaining their position at the top of the table and extending the gap over their rivals, while Zamalek faces potential fines, suspensions, and other disciplinary measures from the EFA. The saga highlights ongoing tensions between club management and the national federation, with Mortada Mansour’s decisions continuing to dominate headlines in Egyptian football.

In summary, Zamalek’s absence from the Cairo derby was officially unjustified, with the EFA rejecting the traffic explanation and announcing further sanctions. Al Ahly claimed the points, while the White Knights’ credibility suffered another blow amid growing criticism of their leadership.