Pyramids will be without Ramadan Sobhi for just one match after the Egyptian Football Association clamped down on the former Stoke City and Huddersfield Town winger.
The 23-year-old was given his marching orders in his debut game for PFC as they bowed 2-1 to Al Ittihad in Saturday’s Egyptian Premier League opener.
Furious with his team’s home defeat at the 30 June Stadium, Sobhi expressed his frustration to referee Mohammad Sabahi after the final whistle, leading him to getting a second caution for dissent.
His team had appealed the dismissal and were hopeful that Sabahi’s decision be rescinded but in an EFA statement on suspension and fines, the Egypt international has been hit with a match ban.
With this result, he will be unavailable for selection when Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s men take on Zamalek on Thursday evening.
He will return on December 27 for Pyramids’ trip to New Suez Stadium for their clash with newly-promoted Ceramica Cleopatra.
Ceramica made a bright start to life in the Egyptian topflight, securing a 2-0 away triumph at En Entag El Harby thanks to goals from Sherif Dabo and Mahmoud Nabil at the WE Al-Ahly Stadium.
In addition, Al Masry head coach Ali Maher has been suspended for one game and fined 20,000 Egyptian Pounds following his dismissal in the Canal Derby versus Ismaily. Ismaily’s Tarek Abo El-leil has also been handed the same sanction for the same reason.
Thanks to his impressive showing at Al Ahly, he was signed by Premier League side Stoke City on 25 July, 2016 for a fee of £5 million – making his English topflight bow on August 20 against Manchester City.
After two seasons with the Potters, Sobhi joined English Championship side Huddersfield Town on a five-year deal in a deal.
However, his inability to impress former manager David Wagner at the Kirklees Stadium saw him return to Al Ahly on loan in 2018. He extended his loan with the Egyptian giants for the 2019–20 season which was later cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite impressing with the Red Devils – where he scored seven goals and provided 14 assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, Sobhi decided to end his loan deal with the team to opt for a move to Pyramids permanently, for an undisclosed amount.
