Juan Bizera Out, Zamalek Brace for Final: The Midfield Dilemma in the Egyptian Super Cup

Key setback ahead of the final

The Zamalek coaching staff, led by Ahmed Abdel-Raouf, received another painful setback hours before the highly anticipated final against Al Ahly in the Egyptian Super Cup, scheduled for Sunday.

Special sources inside Zamalek told Kooora that Juan Bizera would miss the final due to not fully recovering from the muscle injury he has been battling.

Despite hopes that he could pass the latest medical exam, the medical staff chose not to risk it, knowing how demanding the match could be on the muscle.

This absence adds another layer of challenge for interim coach Ahmed Abdel-Raouf, who will need to find a suitable midfield replacement to fill Bizera’s void in one of the season’s most high-stakes games.

Ahmed Abdel-Raouf: I haven’t slept in three days

The coach’s words reflect the tension around a final that demands peak preparation and every available resource.

Meanwhile, the absence casts a larger shadow over the provisional setup as Zamalek seeks a way to balance efficiency in the middle of the park with the rest of the squad.

Match day emotions and final preparations

Ahmed Abdel-Raouf expressed immense satisfaction after Zamalek’s advancement to the final, following a tense and dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win against Pyramids FC, after a goalless draw in regulation time.

In the post-match press conference, he described the encounter as one of the toughest tests the team had faced recently, noting the need to study the opponent and conserve energy for the final.

He explained that in the first half they relied on rapid attacking transitions while closing down key avenues for Pyramids, particularly through the flanks. He also mentioned the tactical setup that placed Mahmoud Bentayg ahead of Ahmed Fatouh to disrupt Mohamed Al-Shaibi and narrow the right side of the opposition’s game.

The main objective, he added, was not to display an overpowering performance but to secure a final berth, which they achieved. He highlighted the importance of distributing workload across the halves to prevent fatigue given the congested schedule, admitting he hasn’t slept for three days due to the complexity of the preparations.

Chasing the trophy against a tough opponent

Abdel-Raouf stressed that the team is operating under challenging conditions, yet remains focused on winning the Egyptian Super Cup. He pointed to the fighting spirit of the players as the decisive factor in overcoming a strong opponent like Pyramids and vowed to preserve that mindset for the final against Al Ahly.

He also addressed several tactical questions, explaining that Mohamed Sobhi’s absence was due to injury and that Abdullah Al-Saeed came in as a substitute because he was fatigued after the previous match. Regarding Ahmed Shref’s substitution, the coach said the decision was due to a recent injury and that he did well in the minutes he played.

He concluded that their approach was not purely defensive but grounded in studying the opponents’ strengths and selecting the right plan for the circumstances. The aim is to stay calm and mentally prepare the players to deliver their best performance in the final.

Preparations for the clash with Al Ahly

The Zamalek technical staff opted for a Friday training session in the gym to aid recovery after the semifinal win. The squad was split into two groups for two training sessions, with the first group comprising those who started against Pyramids and the second group made up of substitutes.

The decision to train in the gym was meant to give players a breather and enable recovery under the tight schedule between the semifinals and the final. Zamalek will hold their final training on Saturday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in preparation for the match against Al Ahly.

In the semifinal at the Al Nahyan Stadium, Zamalek defeated Pyramids 5-4 on penalties after the regulation 90 minutes ended in a goalless draw. The Whites will now face Al Ahly in the final on Sunday at the MBZ Stadium, hoping to lift the local trophy at stake.

Humor break: In football, even a seasoned coach’s notebook looks like a shopping list for a nervous pirate—lots of arrows, very little gold, and a lot of coffee. Punchline pending: if patience were a weapon, Abdel-Raouf would be a sniper who never runs out of bullets. Punchline 2: The only thing quicker than a Zamalek counter-attack is the clock counting down to the final whistle—please, referee, don’t blink when the drama begins.