Egyptian powerhouse Zamalek SC are sweating over the injuries of eight key players ahead of their crucial CAF Confederation Cup clash against domestic rivals Al Masry.
The two Egyptian sides are set to clash on Sunday at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, in what will be the third round of Group D fixtures in the Confederation Cup.
The encounter is widely regarded as a high-stakes affair, with both teams pushing for control of the group and a strong position in the race for qualification.
However, Zamalek head into the encounter under a cloud of concern after losing several influential players in the build-up to the match. The White Knights are expected to be without eight key members of their squad, forcing the technical staff into difficult decisions as they look to remain competitive.
Among those ruled out through injury are Abdullah Al-Saeed, Ahmed Rabie, Omar Jaber, Nabil Emad, and Mahmoud Jihad, all of whom are nursing physical setbacks that have prevented them from being available for selection. Their absence significantly weakens Zamalek’s options across multiple areas of the pitch.
In addition to the injury list, Mohamed Sobhi and Saif Jaafar will also miss the fixture after being left out of the matchday squad for technical reasons, further limiting Zamalek’s depth for the crucial encounter.
Despite the challenges, Zamalek will be aiming to grind out a positive result against a confident Al Masry side, who currently sit at the top of Group D with six points from their opening matches. Zamalek follow closely in second place with four points, making Sunday’s clash pivotal in determining the balance of power in the group.
Elsewhere in the standings, South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs occupy third place with one point, while Zambia’s Zesco are rooted at the bottom of the group yet to collect a point, adding further importance to the outcome of the all-Egyptian contest in Alexandria.
