Zamalek return to the group stage of the CAF Champions League after a three-year absence, but their difficult draw and inconsistent performances suggest they must rediscover last season’s discipline if they are to end a 23-year wait for the trophy.
The Egyptian club remain the second-most successful side in the competition, with five titles, behind domestic rivals Al Ahly. However, their most recent triumph came 23 years ago.
Since then, Zamalek have reached two finals. They were beaten by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 before losing to Al Ahly in 2020.
Zamalek spent the past three seasons in the CAF Confederation Cup, winning the competition once, losing another final and exiting at the quarter-final stage in the third campaign.
Their return to Africa’s leading club competition has not brought an easy group. Although Al Ahly, Mamelodi Sundowns, Wydad AC and Raja CA are all absent, Zamalek were drawn alongside Tunisian league champions Club Africain, Algerian champions MC Alger and Tanzanian champions Young Africans.
That group represents a major challenge, although an easier draw would not necessarily have changed Zamalek’s prospects given their performances since the start of the season.
Their results appear more impressive than their displays. Zamalek have played 11 matches in the Egyptian Premier League and CAF Champions League, winning nine, drawing once against Al Ittihad Alexandria at the start of the campaign and losing to Al Ahly, a result which has become increasingly familiar in recent years.
They are third in the Egyptian Premier League with 16 points, five behind leaders Pyramids FC and one behind second-placed Al Ahly.
In Africa, they have won all four of their matches, covering the home and away legs in the round of 64 and round of 32. Yet in many of those games they were not the better side and were at times closer to defeat than victory.
Relying on those results rather than addressing what happened on the pitch could prove costly, even with several major clubs missing from the tournament.
Zamalek’s own experience from last season offers a possible blueprint. They won the Egyptian Premier League despite not being regarded as the first, second or perhaps even third favourites. A sporting director operated independently of the board, while the manager was supported by performance analysts and the squad worked within a clear structure.
That organisation helped them overcome financial problems, the departures of Moroccan players Abdelhamid Maaly and Salah El-Din Mesad after their contracts were terminated, and the exits of Nasser Maher and Nabil Emad “Donga”.
Those foundations have not been maintained this season. The sporting director left without a replacement, the performance analyst also departed and internal crises have increasingly dominated events at the club.
Zamalek are close to appointing Hossam El Zanaty as their new sporting director. His priority will be to restore the discipline of last season. A new, experienced coaching staff with continental knowledge may also be required, particularly as the club cannot currently strengthen the squad with new players.
The final international break of the year, in November, could give a new manager time to understand the team. If that appointment cannot be made, Zamalek must at least add capable assistants and performance analysts to the current staff. Continuing to rely on luck alone would leave their pursuit of a sixth African title in serious danger.
