Zamalek players have been slapped an EGP 100,000 fine each over Tuesday s goalless draw with Petrojet in the Whites Egyptian Premier League opener.
"The players were fined not for the bad performance, but because they underestimated their opponents," Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour told an Egyptian radio station after the match.
"The team disrespected Petrojet and that finally led to the draw. There are strong teams in the league competition this season.”
The draw has also spoiled the debut of Zamalek s new Swiss coach Christian Gross, who took the helm after the team finished fourth last season.
The Cairo giants formation that featured one central midfielder, four attacking midfielders and a lone striker did them no favours in a dull affair, with Petrojet gaining the upper hand in terms of possession. The petroleum side also exploited acres of spaces in their opponents territory.
"We started the match with our old team not the new signings except for Hamid Ahaddad, who featured in the last minutes. I consider this game a friendly one as we had a poor training camp in Germany," Mansour explained.
"I am satisfied with the team s fitness under the new coach, especially that there was extra time that lasted for 15 minutes."
"Gennesh was the only achievement of the match after proving his worth by keeping a clean sheet. Kahraba also had a prominent start."
"I hoped to have an outstanding Egyptian assistant coach in the technical staff amid the lack of experience of the current one, Amir Azmy, but it is the head coach s point of view that we accepted," Mansour concluded.
Zamalek will take on Ittihad of Alexandria in their coming league match on Saturday.
