Other Leagues
Peseiro promises Zamalek victories and developed performance
Former Nigeria Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, who is now in charge at Zamalek of Egypt has promised to take the club to lofty heights.
He promised to lead the club to victory in the next matches, stressing that developing the team’s performance is also a priority for him.
On Friday, the Cairo giants unveiled the Portuguese as the coach, taking over from Swiss manager Christian Gross.
“My target is to win and develop the performance. Those who know Zamalek players realize that they are amazing,” the 64-year-old tactician told the club’s TV channel.
“Zamalek fans are wonderful, and they always provide an astonishing atmosphere. We want them to stand behind the team. Sometimes, they become angry when the team loses, but we want them behind us. All the club wants to please them.”
Peseiro arrived in Cairo on Thursday to finalize a one-and-a-half-year contract with Zamalek. No financial details were announced, but Peseiro will reportedly earn $70,000 monthly during the first six months.
The team’s uninspiring performance influenced the decision to part ways with Gross only two months into his second term with the White Knights, with eight wins, three losses, and two draws in 13 matches in the Egyptian Premier League.
Peseiro is set to assume his new role immediately as Zamalek prepares to face Petrojet on Sunday in the Egyptian Premier League before facing archrivals Ahly in the Cairo derby next Saturday.
Despite the challenges that await Peseiro, who worked previously in a short stint as Ahly’s coach during the 2015-16 season, the Portuguese tactician remains optimistic about delivering good results.
“My plan is to win in the next games. Zamalek coach should be always seeking victory whether in the home and away games,” the new coach explained.
“I promise to win and so I came here. I took the charge as I believe that we are capable of doing so,” he added.
Gross, 72, leaves Zamalek positioned third in the Egyptian League table with 26 points, trailing leaders Pyramids FC by four points and archrivals Ahly by three points.
Peseiro finally stressed that he prefers playing attacking football, adding that the team should always fight to win until the dying minutes.
Peseiro brings a wealth of experience from his stints with big names, including Porto and Sporting Braga in Portugal, Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, Panathinaikos in Greece, and UAE’s Al-Wehda.
Peseiro’s notable achievements include guiding Sporting to the Europa League final in 2005.
He also has experience on the international level, having managed Saudi Arabia and Venezuela and guided Nigeria to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
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Galatasaray have strengthened their squad with another Napoli player, announcing on Friday that Dutch winger Noa Lang has joined the Turkish champions on loan for the remainder of the season, linking up with former Napoli player, Victor Osimhen in Istanbul.
The Super Lig giants confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Napoli for the temporary transfer of the 15-cap Netherlands international, with the deal including a non-mandatory purchase option that Galatasaray may activate at the end of the season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galatasaray will pay €2 million as a loan fee to Napoli, while Lang will earn a seasonal salary of €1.75 million, according to a statement released by the club.
Lang joined Napoli last year from PSV Eindhoven but struggled to fully establish himself in Italy. He featured in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring once during his time with the Serie A side.
His arrival adds attacking depth to Galatasaray and further strengthens the Napoli connection at the club, with Osimhen already a central figure in their squad as they continue to push for domestic success and progress in European competition.
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Three Sudanese clubs will join the league in Rwanda this season in a bid to keep playing while the civil strife in their country negates any chance of normal sporting activity.
Sudan has been in the grip of conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, with more than 150,000 people killed and about 12 million uprooted, creating the largest displacement crisis in the world.
People who fled when the conflict erupted have started to return this year after Sudan’s army retook the capital Khartoum, but the city’s two biggest clubs will continue their sporting exile with their old infrastructure badly damaged.
Last season Al Hilal and Al Merrikh were allowed to play in the league in Mauritania, on the other side of the continent, where they could stay active and keep up their club structures.
Now, along with Al Ahli Wad Madani, they have been given permission to join Rwanda’s league this season, the Rwanda Football Association said.
In July, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, who between them have won all but four of the championships since Sudan’s league was created in 1965, were home for a mini-tournament to decide who would compete in continental competition in the 2025-26 season.
The eight-team tournament was hosted away from the conflict in Ad-Damer, some 430km from Khartoum, and Atbara, which is 320km north of the capital, with Al Hilal and Al Merrikh dominating again and Al Ahli Wad Madani finishing third.
But a normal league is not possible amid the continuing conflict, leading to the request to play in nearby Rwanda.
Al Hilal have secured a place in the group phase of this season’s African Champions League with a 4-1 aggregate win over Police of Kenya. They won the ‘home’ leg of their second-round tie 3-1 on Friday, which they hosted in Benghazi.
Libya has also served as the base for Sudan’s national team, who will compete at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco at the end of the year despite not playing at home since March 2023.
-Reuters
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Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has been appointed vice captain of Turkish giants Beşiktaş JK, following a leadership shake-up announced by the club’s board and technical team.
In an official statement released on Friday, the club confirmed that the decision was approved by President Serdal Adalı and the Board of Directors, in line with a new approach to appoint captains who occupy more influential on-field positions.
As part of the changes, Orkun Kökçü has been named first captain, while Ndidi assumes the vice-captaincy role.
Beşiktaş also expressed appreciation to former captains Necip Uysal and Mert Günok for their service and leadership, wishing the new captains success in their responsibilities.
“We thank Necip Uysal and Mert Günok for their efforts during their time as captains and wish our new captains, Orkun Kökçü and Wilfred Ndidi, success in their respective roles,” the statement read.
Ndidi, who joined Beşiktaş earlier this season, has quickly established himself as a key figure in the team’s midfield. His elevation to a leadership position underscores the club’s confidence in his experience and influence both on and off the pitch.
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