Cairo giants Al Ahly & Zamalek prepare to play friendly match at London’s Wembley Stadium in hopes of raising fans’ spirits in wake of Port Said disaster.
Zamalek manager Hassan Shehata announced on Tuesday that he was excited to play a friendly game against Ahly in hopes of taking Egyptian football fans’ minds off last month’s Port Said tragedy.
A sports marketing company offered the Cairo giants a friendly game on 22 April in London’s Wembley Stadium.
“I want to play the game to ease the tension, please the crowd and support the martyrs’ families,” the former Egypt coach was quoted as saying on Egyptian sports TV programme Koora Kol Youm.
Egyptian pitches have been abandoned since 1 February, when more than 70 Ahly fans were killed in Port Said stadium following a Masry league game.
Earlier this month, arch-rivals Ahly and Zamalek rejected an offer to play in the UAE even though they had agreed beforehand that they would meet after the 40-day mourning period that followed the tragedy.
The two teams have continental engagements, with both playing their first leg of round 23 of the CAF Champions League next week.
