A source within Zamalek denied rumors circulating about Chico Banza deliberately delaying his return to the club after his participation with the Angolan national team during the recent international break.
Banza has yet to arrive in Cairo, casting doubt on his participation in Zamalek’s opening match against ZESCO United in the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday.
Rumors had circulated that sporting director John Edward had imposed a hefty fine on Banza for his delay, especially since it was the second such incident after a similar one during the September international break.
However, according to a source familiar with the matter, speaking to the website “Batolat,” Banza’s absence was not a surprise to Zamalek’s management. The club was well aware of his expected delay, and there had been coordination between the player and the administration regarding his arrival time in Cairo.
All the rumors about the player being penalized or that he had overstepped his bounds when informed of his absence are baseless. There are no issues between the Angolan player and the sporting director or anyone else within Zamalek. If Banza arrives well before the Zesco match, he will either play in the Zesco game or at least be on the bench.
