Egyptian club Zamalek have fined their players 100,000 egp pounds (€5,600) after the team was held to a goalless draw by Petrojet on Wednesday in matchday one of the new season.
Club president Mortada Mansour said he was furious watching his team play and had to decide on the punishment to push the players to live up to expectations going forward.
“The fine is not necessarily due to their performance but for the more than 10 clear cut chances they missed.
“It was a game we could have won easily but they failed to convert all the chances and eventually dropped valuable points,” he said.
The move came as a surprise in the North African country where such direct fines on footballers are rare.
“Players are usually fined on disciplinary grounds and not because of the results they earn on the pitch. Mansour’s decision is not only funny but also shows lack of respect for the game and the players,” Cairo-based sports writer Hady Elmadary told ACLsports.
Zamalek finished fourth in the domestic league last season behind winners Al Ahly.
