The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) says that Swiss referee Massimo Busacca will be in charge of Friday's Cairo derby between Al-Ahly and Zamalek, the local media reported on Wednesday. Busacca was in charge of last year's UEFA Champions League final, which saw Barcelona beat Manchester United in Rome. The 41-year-older has been preselected for the 2010 World Cup, even though he was sanctioned by the Swiss Football Association in September 2009 for misbehaviour. He was hit by a three-match ban from domestic competitions, after being caught gesturing Young Boys fans in a cup match. Using foreign referees for crucial Egyptian Premier League matches comes after many complaints from several clubs about Egyptian referees. So the EFA has decided to get foreign referees to officiate. Zamalek, Ahly and some other clubs have recently been complaining about Egyptian referees after many mistaken decisions. Cairo Stadium will open at 13:00 on Friday, according to officials at the stadium. The Ministry of Interior has appealed to Ahly and Zamalek fans to enter into the spirit of the game. The Ministry has allowed fans to bring flags and drums, but no fireworks, newspapers, matches or bottles of water. The Ministry has also urged people to stick to traffic rules, to prevent any chaos in the streets near the stadium. In related news, Ahly's midfielder Ahmed Hassan has played down the importance of the Cairo derby with Zamalek. Egypt's captain, who is playing his fifth derby in two years since joining Ahly from Anderlecht of Belgium, refuses to call the game 'a title on its own'. "It's a normal game, like any other league match," Hassan told Ahly's official website Tuesday night, “although a derby victory is always important for the fans”. A triumph on Friday would give Ahly a sixth straight title and stretch their lead at the top to 12 points, a gap Zamalek would be unable to bridge in their remaining three games. Hassan has been involved in a war of words with Zamalek general co-ordinator Ibrahim Hassan, after the latter called for doping tests in the Egyptian League. The 35-year-old star has criticised these calls in public, claiming that the Zamalek official is hinting at Ahly's veteran players. Hassan, who was named the African Cup of Nations' best player in February, says Ahly have what it takes to beat their arch-rivals. "We have the quality and experience. I believe our team can snatch another three points," he comments. Ahly's President Hassan Hamdi and his aides say that winning tomorrow's match is very important. "We want to get the three titles - Egypt's League and Cup, and the African Champions League," he stresses. Zamalek's coach Hossam Hassan, meanwhile, says they must beat the Red Devils, describing tomorrow's game as a make-or-break clash for the club. The White Knights are training in Ain Sukhna on the Red Sea resort, far from the tension and stress of the capital. Zamalek's general co-ordinator Ibrahim Hassan, who has been banned from attending matches till the end of the season, following the Zamalek-Police Union incidents last week, believes the ban is unfair.
