Zamalek suffered a significant setback after Moroccan defender Mahmoud Bentayg was sent off during the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final against Algeria’s USM Alger.
The red card means Bentayg is set to miss the return leg, scheduled for Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Cairo International Stadium, in a match where Zamalek must overturn their first-leg defeat.
Zamalek lost the opening leg 1-0 in Algiers after USM Alger struck late, leaving the Egyptian side with a demanding task in Cairo.
The coaching staff will now need to find the best replacement for Bentayg, with little margin for error in a decisive continental final.