Ayman Abdelaziz, the former assistant coach of the Egyptian national team, has revealed chilling behind-the-scenes moments experienced by the Pharaohs’ squad before their match against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, a match they lost on penalties.
“In the days leading up to the Congo match, we faced several challenging situations that significantly affected the team,” Abdelaziz said in televised remarks.
“What some may not know is that two days before the Congo game, Trezeguet fell ill.
He was bedridden for a long time, with the team doctor, Mohamed Abu El Ala, attending to him.
We were considering resting him for the Congo game,” he added.
“Trezeguet’s temperature spiked to 39 degrees, and he was in a critical condition.
Additionally, on the day of the Congo match, we received a terrifying message on our phones from the team doctor, Mohamed Abu El Ala, informing us that Marmush was dying,” Abdelaziz continued.
“Marmush’s body temperature had reached 40 degrees, causing panic among the players and coaching staff,” he stated.
“What’s noteworthy is that Imam Ashour had also suffered a concussion earlier, completely losing the ability to speak for a few moments.
His absence had a significant negative impact on us,” Abdelaziz concluded.
The revelations shed light on the intense physical and emotional challenges faced by the Egyptian national team during a critical juncture in their Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
