Jesualdo Ferreira: Zamalek do not have replacement for Achraf Bencharki
Zamalek head coach Jesualdo Ferreira believes the club do not have a direct replacement for Morocco’s Achraf Bencharki.
The White Knights managed to defeat rivals Future FC 1-0 in the Egyptian Premier League’s 27th round on Thursday evening.
Mahmoud Hamdy El-Wensh’s second-half header was enough to seal three vital points for Zamalek and boost their chances in their quest to retain the league title.
They currently lead the Egyptian Premier League table with 63 points, nine points ahead of third-placed Al Ahly who have two games in hand.
Speaking after the game, Ferreira complained about the league’s congested fixtures and also discussed the possibility of replacing Achraf Bencharki, who departed Zamalek after his contract expired.
“We play a game every three days, and when we get to the end it’s possible that the best team won’t win because of this schedule. The players struggle and matches become more difficult to play,” Ferreira said in the press conference.
“Future FC are one of the better teams in the league table and are competing for a place in the CAF Confederation Cup next season.
“In the current squad, we do not have a player like [Achraf] Bencharki, but we have other players with different traits, and more of them will play in his position.
“We played well in the first half but were unable to score, and therefore, I had to change some things in order to win, and if I had not done that, I would have faced criticism now.
“I want to tell you something that you should always keep in mind. Substitutions are like a watermelon. You have to open it to figure out if it’s good or not,” he added.
