Abdel-Raouf Unveils Zamalek’s Struggles: "The Financial Crisis is Impacting Us, and Ahmed Hamdy is Out"

Following Zamalek’s narrow 1-0 victory over Baladeyet El-Mahalla in the Egypt Cup, Manager Ahmed Abdel-Raouf addressed the media with a stark assessment of the club’s current state. The most significant revelation was his decision that midfielder Ahmed Hamdy will not feature in the team’s upcoming plans. Hamdy, who joined from CF Montréal in January 2024, has struggled to cement his place, recording only 21 appearances with four goal contributions.

Abdel-Raouf highlighted the "extremely difficult circumstances" surrounding the team, pointing directly to a severe financial crisis affecting player performance and squad depth. He noted that the technical staff has been forced to improvise, such as playing "Isho" as a left-back due to defensive shortages. Despite the return of veteran defender Mahmoud El-Wensh, the coach remains wary of the lack of substitutes in critical positions. He emphasized that while these are not excuses, the reality of the club’s finances makes every match a challenge, as they strive to satisfy the fans amidst ongoing instability.