Zamalek coach Pacheco confident of victory despite CAF's decision to postpone Raja clash
Mahmoud Elassal, , Friday 23 Oct 2020
The football governing body insisted that the final will be played as scheduled on 6 November in Cairo


Zamalek coach Jaime Pacheco said his team is ready for the clash "at anytime" against Morocco's Raja in the second leg of the semi-finals of the Champions League after the Confederation of the African Football (CAF) postponed the Whites' home game against the Moroccon side amid a coronavirus crisis.

The CAF decided on Thursday to postpone Zamalek’s game against Rajaa de Casablanca, which was set to be played on Saturday 24 October at Cairo Stadium, to 1 November at the same venue in Cairo.

The decision came upon the request of the Raja de Casablanca following the Morrocan Ministry of Health decision on Tuesday to impose a one-week travel ban on the team after 14 players of the Moroccan team tested positive for the coronavirus.

"The decision of postponing the game won't affect our concentration as we are ready for the coming game at anytime," Pacheco told Zamalek's TV channel late on Thursday.

"The CAF's decision will motivate our players to achieve the victory," he said.

"I ask Zamalek fans to be confident of the team's ability to please them," he added.

"Zamalek's technical staff, management and players are in full concentration to achieve our target," the Zamalek coach said.

"Our dream is to win the CAF Champions League title as well as finishing the domestic league in the runners-up place," Pacheco added.

Meanwhile, Zamalek management expressed their displeasure over the CAF's decision to postpone the game, asking the football governing body in an official letter to reschedule the date of the final if they insist on setting a new date for Zamalek’s game against the Moroccan side.

The football governing body insisted that the final will be played as scheduled on 6 November in Cairo.

Zamalek put one foot in the Champions League final after defeating the Moroccan side 1-0 at home on Sunday thanks to a nice header from Moroccan winger Achraf Bencharki.

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