Carteron Warns against Appointing Fitness Coach in Current Period

Zamalek's head coach Patrice Carteron warned against appointing a new fitness coach during the current period.

During Primeiro de Agosto's pre-match conference in the CAF Champions League, Carteron stressed that he would not accept any complacency from any player in the White Knights during the upcoming period.

Regarding de Agosto's encounter, he stressed that the game would be hard despite ensuring the qualification for the quarter-final.

"Despite our qualification for the quarter-final, the game will be hard to get the players ready to the Egyptian Super Cup and the upcoming encounters in the Egyptian League and the CAF Champions League," the French coach said.

The White Knights had ensured reaching the quarter-final after holding a goalless draw against TP Mazembe in the fifth round as they benefited from Zesco United’s draw against Primeiro de Agosto to rank 2nd in Group A, following Mazembe, who topped the group.

The 49-year-old manager said that he decided to exclude some players from Angola's journey to give them some rest.

The White Knights' squad witnessed the return of the first-choice goalkeeper Mahmoud Gennesh after being recovered from his ruptured Achilles tendon's injury.

He did not feature in the White Knights' squad for any encounter this season since he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon injury in July.

"The team needs a high spirit and we should consider every game as a final," the French coach concluded.

On Monday, December 2, Zamalek’s chairman Mortada Mansour appointed Carteron as the White Knights’ new head coach, succeeding Milutin Sredojević ‘Micho.

Noteworthy, Zamalek clinched the Confederation Cup for the first time in their history after securing the victory in a dramatic penalty shootout against RS Berkane at Burg Al Arab Stadium (5-3) in May.