Brazilian Juan Bezerra, player of the first team football team for the Egyptian club Zamalek, apologized to the club’s management, its fans, his teammates, and the technical staff before his expected departure from the team’s ranks and moving to Shabab Al-Ahly Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Bezerra said in a statement on his Instagram account on Sunday that he spent a wonderful season with Zamalek, and was a member of the team that won the league title, stressing his pride in the time he spent inside the White Castle.
He added: “From Cairo, I would like to apologize to the Zamalek club, its board of directors, to my fellow players, each one of them, to the entire technical staff, and to the fans of Zamalek. I hope you will accept this apology, and I am fully prepared to accept any disciplinary measures that the club may impose on me.”
The Brazilian player explained that he could not ignore the love he received from Zamalek fans and their chants of his name in the stands, noting that this support helped him give his best during last season with the help of his teammates.
Bezerra stressed that his relationship with everyone within the team is excellent, and that he feels grateful to the club and its management for their desire to continue and their attempts to keep him within the team.
He continued: “I chose to leave because I believe that I now have a great opportunity that may not be repeated, and it is like a big dream for me and my family. That is why I insisted on my desire to move at this stage of my career after I gave everything I had to Zamalek throughout last season, which was witnessed by the club’s fans.”
Bezerra stressed his respect for his current association with Zamalek and his desire to complete his transfer to his new club according to the conditions set by the White Castle administration.
Bezerra revealed: “Today, as a player in Zamalek Club, and with the great appreciation I hold for everyone within this club, I hope that my desire and decision to move to a new club will be fulfilled, according to the conditions set by Zamalek, and this does not mean in any way that I will forget the role that the fans played in my career.”
The player confirmed that he hopes to leave Zamalek while continuing his good relationship with all members of the club, stressing that during his time he found nothing but appreciation, respect and high professionalism.
Bezerra concluded his statement by saying: “Zamalek Club and its fans will remain a bright and lasting chapter in my football career, and once again I apologize to everyone, and I will always cherish Zamalek Club and its fans, who will hold a special place in my heart.”
The Algerian team, JS Saoura, bid an early farewell to the African Champions League in the first preliminary round of the continental competition, after losing 1-3 to its host Houria Conakry of Guinea, in the return match, which was held between them on Sunday.
The Algerian team was unable to take advantage of its 1-0 victory in the first leg over its rival, last week, to exit the tournament, after losing 2-3 on aggregate in the first and second leg.
Yakhouba Gnagna Bari gave Houria Conakry the lead with a goal in the 17th minute, but Elias Faisal Haddouche equalized for JS Saoura in the 72nd minute.
Houria Conakry turned the match upside down in the final minutes of the match, after scoring two goals by Morlaye Celia and Sylvie Coulibaly in the 90th minute, the second of stoppage time for the second half, to secure a nomination for the qualifying round for the group stage in the most important and strongest tournament at the club level in the African continent.
In the next round, Houria Conakry will meet Al-Merreikh of Sudan, who overcame Zimbabwe's Power Dynamos, after defeating them 2-0 on aggregate.
For its part, Egyptian Pyramids advanced to the qualifying round for the group stage of the same tournament, following its landslide 5-1 victory over its guest, Gormahia of Kenya, on Sunday, in the second leg of the first preliminary round of the continental competition.
Pyramids defeated Gormahia 2-0 in the first-leg match, which was held last week in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to win 7-1 over its opponent in the aggregate of the two-legged matches.
Moroccan Walid Karti opened the scoring for Pyramids in the 28th minute, and his teammates Nasser Maher and Youssef Obama added the second and third goals in the 38th and first minutes of stoppage time instead of stoppage time for the first half.
David Okot Odhiambo reduced the gap by scoring Gurmahia's only goal in the fourth minute of added time in the first half.
In the second half, Mostafa Zico added the fourth and fifth goals for Pyramids in the 90th and fourth minutes of stoppage time of the match.
Pyramids, who won the title in 2025, will play in the next round with Merreikh Bentiu, champions of South Sudan, in order to advance to the group stage.
