Pyramids FC Clarifies Stance on Abu Ali and Hamdi Fathi After a Historic Season

A Season of Trials and Triumphs

Amr Bassiouni, Pyramids FC head of contracts, outlined a broad agenda of key dossiers within the club, speaking candidly about the season just past and describing it as both challenging and miraculous given the scale of the challenges and the level of competition.

He stressed that Pyramids’ journey in recent years has not been easy, noting major hurdles including skepticism and attempts to downplay the club’s hard work. The experience was not as simple as some think; ongoing work and massive effort are the real reasons behind the successes we are seeing.

A Historic Season and a Reshaped Competitive Map

At a moment when Pyramids is enjoying one of its most distinctive spells, the club was officially named Africa’s Club of the Year at the CAF awards in Rabat, while the Congolese forward Weston Mailey took Africa’s Player of the Year honors, reinforcing the club’s strong continental standing.

The team also clinched the CAF Champions League for the first time in its history by defeating Mamelodi Sundowns, and added the CAF Super Cup after beating Renaissance Berkane, in addition to a triumph in the Three Continents Cup against Al Ahli Saudi. These trophies underscored a season many described as transformational for the club.

Bassiouni noted that last season tested the club’s strength and that trophies did not come by chance. They were the fruit of a cohesive structure built on consistency, professionalism, and constant technical and administrative development. The season was described as miraculous in its scope, given the intensity of the schedule and the variety of competitions in which Pyramids participated domestically and continentally.

Mailey, El-Karti, and the Players Under the Microscope

On the player front, Bassiouni spoke at length about the futures of several prominent names, notably the Congolese Weston Mailey and the Moroccan Walid El-Karti.

El-Karti renewed his contract with Pyramids in May, ending earlier speculation about his departure. Mailey, who was named Africa’s best player, has a contract that runs through the end of the current season, but the club remains calm, confident that negotiations will be handled professionally if and when they become formal.

Mailey has drawn multiple offers, but the club has not begun official talks yet, stressing that any decisions will be made with long-term club interests in mind.

Behind the Scenes on Hamdi Fathi and the Cairo Rivalry

Regarding Hamdi Fathi, the club explored serious negotiations during the recent summer window, but the deal did not come to fruition for various reasons. Mustafa Fathi remains a core piece for the squad, and there is no intention to include him in any swap with Zamalek, underscoring the solid relationship between the two clubs.

Bassiouni also said he was careful to congratulate John Edward after his appointment as sporting director at Zamalek, noting that professional respect and courtesy govern exchanges between the clubs, and denying any talks with Zamalek goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhdi. He added that signing Mahmoud Gad was a clear objective from the start of the transfer window.

There was also a note about Wasam Abu Ali. He emphasized that the idea was not on the table and that Pyramids does not enter into ill-considered negotiations. He clarified that the club is not the highest payer in the league and that salaries are managed in a professional, orderly manner.

He also commented on Ramadan Sobhi’s injury troubles at the start of the season, stating that they contributed to a dip in early form but that Sobhi is determined to restore his known level and works hard in training.

As for Ibrahim Adel, now with Al Ain, the contract does not include any clause preventing a return to play in Egypt in the future, and there are no legal barriers to that possibility, according to Bassiouni.

Finally, Bassiouni noted that Hamad Hamdan, a star at Petrojet, is not currently among the club’s priorities but may be considered later if the team needs his services.

In closing, he reaffirmed that the Pyramids project continues without interruption, with a long-term plan to keep the team at the top domestically and continentally. What has been achieved so far is only a step in a longer journey toward more trophies and a culture of winning within the squad.

Punchline 1: If football were a chess game, Pyramids would be the players who bring a knight to the opening and still end up checkmating with a coffee break.

Punchline 2: If goals were jokes, Pyramids would headline a stand-up show every week because they always deliver a punchline right as the ball hits the net.