Zamalek legend Mahmoud Abdel-Razek “Shikabala” believes that coach Yannick Ferreira is responsible for the 2-1 defeat to Al-Ahly in the summit match, stressing the need to dismiss him quickly before it’s too late.
Zamalek took the lead through Hossam Abdel-Magid in the first half against Al-Ahly, but the Red Castle managed to come back with goals from Hussein El-Shahat and Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet in the second half to snatch three important points in the race for the Egyptian League title.
Shikabala spoke about Zamalek’s loss, saying, “The title of this match for me is the need for Yannick Ferreira to leave.”
He added, “All of the coach’s substitutions are wrong. This didn’t start with this match, but rather three or four previous matches. These substitutions gave Al-Ahly control, which could have scored a third or fourth.”
He continued, “There must be a pause with the coach. You can’t get into a crisis with a player every two days, keeping him out of a match. He created a crisis with Chico Banza, which kept him out of the match, and he did the same thing before with Seifeddine Jaziri.”
He concluded, “The senior players should have intervened at halftime and spoken out, but that didn’t happen. Ultimately, you can’t face Al Ahly with a defense like Ferreira’s.”
Ferreira has managed to score 17 points with Zamalek, who remain at the top of the Egyptian Premier League until the matches against Pyramids and Al Ahly are completed. The White Knights have suffered two defeats with the Belgian, against Wadi Degla and Al Ahly, two draws against El Gouna and El Mokawloon, and five wins.
