Zamalek excludes Mido and Shikabala from Saudi trip

Zamalek stars Ahmed "Mido" Hossam and Mahmoud "Shikabala" Abdel-Razek have been dropped from the travelling squad for Saudi Arabia on Monday as the club is supposed to play a prearranged friendly with Al-Nahda team on 16 May. The Cairo giants' technical staff decided to give the players a three week rest after reaching the CAF Champions League group stage following Sunday's 2-0 win over Morocco’s Maghreb Fez 2-0 at Cairo’s Military Academy Stadium. Despite his recent return to the club's training sessions after resolving his salary crisis, Mido did not appear with the Whites on Sunday due to fitness concerns. The Cairo giants did not give an explanation of Mido's absence from the travelling squad for Saudi Arabia, amid reports that the veteran striker is on his way out of the club. Late on Sunday, Zamalek management enforced a temporary ban on the talented forward, Shikabala, due to a pitch-side fight with coach Hassan Shehata after he was sidelined in the  Maghreb Fez game. The Pharaohs star Shikabala has been temporarily banned from the Egypt's national team camp in Morocco, following his angry outburst. Benin striker Razak Omotoyossiand and midfielder Islam Awad also missed Zamalek's trip for unknown reasons.