Zamalek, the two-time CAF Confederation Cup champions, currently sit second in Group D with four points, following a slim 1-0 victory over Zambia’s Zesco United and a 1-1 draw against South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs.
The White Knights have been struggling off the field this season, as the club face a financial crisis that saw them handed multiple FIFA transfer bans.
After the Cairo-based side’s coach Ahmed Abdel-Raouf resigned last December, the White Knights called up Motamed Gamal, a former player for the club with three previous stints on the White Knights technical staff, as interim coach on 7 January.
Gamal, 52, led his squad to a 2-0 victory over Masry in the Egyptian Capital Cup, though they were eventually eliminated from that competition.
Zamalek will be without several key players, including Omar Gaber, Abdallah El-Said, Ahmed Fatouh, Nabil 'Donga' Emad, Ahmed Rabea, and Mahmoud Gehad, due to various injuries.
“We have the ambition to win to top the group, and we have worked hard during the past week to achieve this goal,” Gamal told reporters on Saturday.
“Winning against Masry in the Egyptian Capital Cup was a positive result because we worked hard and studied the strengths and weaknesses of the opposing team,” Gamal explained.
“We are suffering from several absences, such as Ahmed Fatouh, Omar Gaber, Nabil Emad, Abdallah El-Said and others, but the team must be ready and united. We must play the match with spirit and seriousness,” he added.
“Everyone is preparing seriously for the match despite the circumstances the club is going through. Our goal is to achieve victory to make the fans happy,” Gamal concluded.
On the other hand, the Port Said-based side come into the game as Group D leaders, having secured a perfect six points from two outings, as Tunisian tactician Nabil Kouki's men defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 before clinching a 3-2 away win in Zambia.
Both teams have been drawn in the same group for the second consecutive year. Last season, Zamalek and Masry were eliminated from the quarter-finals of the Confederation Cup after losing to South Africa’s Stellenbosch FC and Tanzanian giants Simba SC, respectively.
Kaizer Chiefs occupy third place with one point, while Zesco are rooted at the bottom of the group yet to collect a point, adding further importance to the outcome of this all-Egyptian contest in Alexandria.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: