Zamalek have formally asked the Egyptian Clubs Association to postpone their League Cup match against Zed to give the team more time to prepare for their Egyptian Premier League meeting with Al Ahly.
The League Cup fixture is currently scheduled for 8 October, while Zamalek are due to face Al Ahly on 11 October in the sixth round of the Premier League.
Zamalek’s request comes as the club look to maintain their strong start to the league season and compete for the title. The White Knights have taken 10 points from their opening four matches and sit second in the standings, level with Al Ahly and two points behind leaders Pyramids.
Football director Abdel Nasser Mohamed confirmed that the club had officially approached the League Association over the scheduling of the Zed fixture.
“We sent a letter to the League Association to postpone our League Cup match against Zed, scheduled for October 8, especially since the team has an important match against Al-Ahly scheduled for October 11 in the sixth round of the Premier League competition.”
Zamalek want more preparation time
The club’s main concern is the limited gap between the two matches.
If the current schedule remains unchanged, Zamalek would play Zed on 8 October before meeting Al Ahly just three days later. The club believes changing the League Cup date would give the squad better conditions in which to prepare for the derby.
Mohamed said the request reflects Zamalek’s desire to ensure the team is properly prepared for what is expected to be an important fixture in the league campaign.
The Al Ahly match carries particular significance because both clubs are currently tied on 10 points after four rounds. Zamalek are therefore looking to protect their position near the top of the table while continuing their pursuit of leaders Pyramids.
The club believes additional preparation time could help the coaching staff work specifically on their plans for the Al Ahly encounter rather than having to manage two competitive matches within a short period.
Concerns over fatigue and injuries
Another reason behind Zamalek’s request is the potential physical impact of playing matches so close together.
The coaching staff want sufficient time to prepare the players while reducing the possibility of fatigue or injuries caused by a congested schedule.
With the Al Ahly fixture coming in the sixth round of the Premier League, Zamalek consider it important to enter the derby in the best possible condition.
The club’s strong start has increased the importance of the coming fixtures. After collecting 10 points from their first four league games, Zamalek are firmly involved in the battle for the top of the table.
They are two points behind Pyramids and level with Al Ahly, making the meeting between the two Cairo clubs particularly important to their ambitions.
The League Cup match against Zed is therefore being viewed by the Zamalek administration not simply as another fixture, but as a game whose scheduling could affect preparations for the following league match.
Awaiting response from League Association
Zamalek are now waiting for the Egyptian Clubs Association to respond to their request.
The club hopes the proposed change will be accepted and that the Zed fixture can be moved to another date.
Such a rearrangement would provide the technical staff with more time to prepare for the Al Ahly match and could allow the players to recover properly before the derby.
Zamalek’s request is also linked to their wider ambition of remaining competitive at the top of the Premier League. The club want to continue their positive results and challenge strongly for first place, with the Al Ahly fixture offering an important opportunity in that pursuit.
For now, however, the date of the Zed match remains unchanged at 8 October, with Zamalek awaiting the League Association’s decision.
The outcome will determine whether the White Knights have the additional preparation period they are seeking before facing Al Ahly on 11 October.
With the two sides level on points after four league rounds, Zamalek believe avoiding an unnecessarily compressed schedule could be important as they prepare for one of the most significant matches of their campaign.
