Zamalek deny players missed training over unpaid wages

Zamalek have denied reports that their football team failed to attend training because of outstanding financial payments, saying the players were scheduled to return on Tuesday rather than Monday.

Maher Gharib, head of Zamalek’s media organisation, said it was inaccurate to link the timing of the squad’s return to training with the club’s financial situation.

“It is shameful to talk about Zamalek players not attending training because they had not received their financial dues,” Gharib told On Sport.

“The agreement between Moataz Gamal, his coaching staff and the players was that they would return to training on Tuesday, not Monday.”

Gharib said settling the players’ outstanding payments remained the club’s main priority and that the money should be paid during the current week at the latest.

“Zamalek’s management confirms that the club’s priority is to pay the dues owed to the football team,” he said. “At the latest, it will be during this week.”

He acknowledged, however, that the club’s financial position remained difficult.

“The financial situation is not good inside Zamalek,” Gharib said. “What the club went through in recent years should have brought it to an end. Thankfully, Zamalek still exists and is capable of competing.”

He added that income from the sale of Bezera and memberships for the club’s new branch in Hadayek October would ease several of the club’s financial problems, although it would not resolve them all.

“With the arrival of the money from the sale of Bezera and the sale of memberships for the new club branch in Hadayek October, many financial crises will be solved,” he said. “But it certainly will not end all the crises.”

Gharib also addressed reports of disagreements within Zamalek’s board, describing differences in opinion as a normal part of running a football club.

“Disagreements within the board? It is natural for there to be differences in viewpoints between everyone, and this exists at all clubs,” he said. “It is a normal matter in order to reach the best solutions.”

Women’s football investigation

Gharib confirmed that Zamalek was facing a problem concerning its women’s football section.

“There is indeed a crisis in the women’s football file at Zamalek,” he said. “What had been agreed with the body responsible for running the women’s football section was not implemented.

“The matter has therefore been referred to the club’s legal authorities for investigation and to establish the reasons behind it.”

He also said one member of Zamalek’s board had personally covered the full cost of the club’s previous match against Al Ahly.

“One of the board members bore all the financial costs of the previous Al Ahly match, including all arrangements and the expenses of the professional players,” Gharib said.