Preview: Gross seeks winning return in Zamalek's clash with Ceramica

Ahmed Ghandour , Wednesday 18 Dec 2024

Swiss coach Christian Gross is seeking to kickstart his second tenure with Zamalek on a high note as Zamalek take on Ceramica Cleopatra on Thursday at Cairo International Stadium.

Ceramica Cleopatra
File Photo: Zamalek Forward Zizo fights for the ball during the match with Ceramica Cleopatra. Al-Ahram.

 

Zamalek announced Gross’s appointment on Monday as a replacement for Portuguese coach Jose Gomes, who unexpectedly terminated his contract with the club earlier this month to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Fateh.

Following his arrival in Cairo on Sunday, the 70-year-old Swiss tactician watched from the stands as Zamalek secured a narrow 1-0 win over Masry in a Confederation Cup group stage clash at Borg El-Arab Stadium.

Gross had a successful spell at Zamalek in 2018/19 leading them to their first CAF Confederation Cup title, a first continental trophy in 16 years. However, his stint ended following disputes with then-chairman Mortada Mansour over a contract extension.

Injury Woes for Zamalek
 

The White Knights head into the game buoyed by a commanding 4-0 victory over Ghazl El-Mahalla in their last league outing on 2nd December, which lifted them to second place in the league standings with 9 points, just one behind leaders Masry.

However, Gross faces a challenging start as several key players are sidelined with injuries, as defending trio Mahmoud Bentayg, Mostafa Zenari, and Hamza Mathlouthi will be unavailable.

Moreover, veteran captain Mahmoud ‘Shikabala’ Abdel-Razek is still regaining fitness after a muscular injury layoff.

Abdallah El-Said and Nasser Maher are also doubtful for the game as they both recovered from injuries and took part in the squad’s training.

On the other hand, fifth-placed Ceramica Cleopatra will be looking to recover from their humiliating 5-0 defeat to NBE Club in the Egyptian League Cup last Wednesday.

Moreover, the team will be eager to end their poor record against Zamalek, having lost all their previous nine encounters across all competitions.

Despite an impressive summer transfer window that brought in highly talented players, including Pyramids FC stars Fagrie Lakay, Islam Issa, Abdallah Magdy, Mahmoud Zalaka, and Mohamed Sadek, coach Ayman Elramady’s side have struggled to find consistency this season so far.

 

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