Published Date: 2025-05-14 13:38:04 Updated At: 2025-05-14 13:38:04

Nader El-Sayed, the former Egyptian football star, confirmed that Mohamed Awad, the goalkeeper of Zamalek, did not intentionally throw away the match against Pyramids in the Egyptian Premier League. He clarified that the mistake made by Awad was a normal occurrence in football and could happen to any player. He added that such errors should not affect the general assessment of the player, expressing his belief that Awad would return to his usual level of performance in the future.
In his radio comments, Nader El-Sayed also addressed the current situation of Zamalek, stating that the team still has a long time to improve its performance and rectify its standing in the league. He emphasized the need for everyone to work together for the benefit of the club, adding that it is shameful for Zamalek to miss out on participation in the CAF Champions League for the third consecutive season. He mentioned that failure to qualify for this tournament is regrettable and requires serious reflection from everyone within the club to return to the right path.

Regarding Awad’s mistake against Pyramids, Nader El-Sayed pointed out that it was a mistake that could happen to any goalkeeper during the season, and it should not be the reason for severe criticism or accusations of deliberate throwaway. He explained that Awad made an error but did not do it intentionally, affirming that such mistakes happen in any match. As a former player, he considered it part of football, and such errors may happen once in a season, not repeatedly. He asked everyone not to be harsh in their judgment of him.

Concerning the focus of Awad, Nader El-Sayed mentioned that the goalkeeper was greatly affected by the crisis that occurred in the match against Ceramica Cleopatra and the statements made by Emad El-Mandouh, the former Zamalek goalkeepers' coach, who expressed his belief in Mohamed Sobhi as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. He considered that these statements indirectly affected Awad’s focus and stressed the importance of equal treatment between the two goalkeepers, Awad and Sobhi, to maintain healthy competition and the team’s overall performance.

Nader El-Sayed confirmed that Mohamed Awad has given a lot to Zamalek over the years, noting that the goalkeeper deserves complete respect from everyone. He also pointed out that the decision to exclude Awad from the Ceramica Cleopatra match was made by El-Mandouh, who had an impact on Awad's mental state. He clarified that all players should be treated equally and given the same opportunities within the team.

Regarding the Egyptian Premier League standings, Nader El-Sayed stressed that Al Ahly is the closest team to winning the league title this season, acknowledging the great efforts of Pyramids players but also mentioning that Pyramids' officials have interfered in matters that were not their concern, which negatively affected the focus of their players in the league competition. He pointed out that the statements made by Pyramids' officials about the issue of point deductions from Al Ahly had a negative effect on the team and their players' focus. He added that unnecessary statements led to a decline in Pyramids' performance, causing them to lose their top spot in the league.

Nader El-Sayed continued, stating that the statements made by Pyramids’ officials regarding the point deductions issue were an unjustified interference in matters that did not concern them. He argued that it would have been better for Pyramids' officials to focus on supporting their team and helping them win the title, rather than engaging in issues outside their scope. He emphasized that this interference directly impacted Pyramids' players, leading to a loss of focus and the eventual loss of the top spot to Al Ahly.

He added that the point deduction issue between Al Ahly and Zamalek is a matter that concerns only the two clubs, and no third party should interfere. He advised Pyramids’ officials to concentrate on their team and avoid putting additional mental and emotional pressure on the players, which could affect their on-field performance. He explained that Pyramids were in strong contention for the league title, but the statements from their officials caused the team to lose focus, resulting in a drop in performance and affecting their chances of winning the title.

Nader El-Sayed concluded by saying that the competition for the Egyptian Premier League title has become more complicated, but Al Ahly seems to be the closest to winning the championship due to the focus and determination of their players, despite all the challenges. He added that Pyramids could have competed strongly for the title, but the interference of their officials in matters outside the team caused their decline, opening the door for Al Ahly to secure the title. He stressed the importance for all teams in the Egyptian Premier League to focus only on their own matters and avoid statements that could negatively affect the players at such a crucial time.