FILE - Zamalek's midfielder Abdallah El Said in action during the match with Petrojet. Al-Ahram.
The 60-year-old El-Ramady was named Zamalek’s interim coach on 7 May, replacing Portuguese Jose Peseiro, with a mission to help the Cairo giants recover from a disappointing season.
However, he commenced his tenure with a 2-2 draw against Ceramica Cleopatra, followed by a 1-0 defeat to Pyramids FC in the league.
Having failed to defend their CAF Confederation Cup title and already out of the league race, Zamalek’s interim coach will be eager to turn the page with a win over Petrojet ahead of a pivotal Egypt Cup final against Pyramids FC on 5 June. Victory in the cup could still see the White Knights end the season with silverware.
“The upcoming matches in the league are crucial preparation before the cup match, and I hope we can show a performance worthy of Zamalek. There are several positive aspects that have emerged recently,” El-Ramady told reporters on Friday.
"We have several deficiencies at the moment, but the injured players are on their way to recovery, and within less than a week, the team's lineup will be significantly complete," he added.
"The players are eager to please their fans, and this will be their greatest motivation. Zamalek needs to secure a title this season, and the players understand the value and significance of their club. I hope we can successfully prepare the team mentally for the cup final through our league matches," El-Ramady said.
However, El-Ramady faces challenges with a growing injury list that includes Ahmed Jafeli, Mahmoud Bentayg, Nasser Maher, Mahmoud Gehad, Ahmed Fatouh, Hamza Mathouthi, and veteran Mahmoud ‘Shikabala’ Abdel-Razek, all of whom will miss the game.
On the other hand, Petrojet comes into the match second from bottom with 26 points, with coach Sayed Eid’s men will be looking to rebound from their League Cup quarterfinal elimination, having suffered a 4-2 aggregate defeat to Ceramica Cleopatra on Wednesday.
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