Hussein Labib: Pyramids are not Al Ahly’s main rivals; Imam Ashour’s departure was Zamalek’s biggest loss

Zamalek president Hussein Labib said it was incorrect to describe Pyramids as Al Ahly’s main rivals, arguing that the Egyptian league title race is always between Al Ahly and Zamalek. He added that a wider field of contenders benefits Egyptian football and the Egypt national team.

Labib expressed confidence that Zamalek can reach the CAF Champions League final despite the difficulty of its group, stressing that the team is competing for the title. He also praised Mamdouh Abbas, the club’s honorary president, saying that he does not interfere in the board’s decisions and that the club consults him on various matters. Labib thanked him for his financial support and donations to the club.

Asked to assess the board’s performance, Labib gave it four out of ten and said that appointing its members was the decision he would change if he could go back in time. He also said he would not agree to Ahmed Sayed Zizo’s return to Zamalek, and considered Imam Ashour’s departure a bigger loss for the club than the departures of Zizo and Achraf Bencharki.