Mohamed Salah has risked incurring the wrath of Liverpool bosses after it was revealed he snubbed a request to get a scan on an injury.
The Reds forward was a doubt going into the Champions League final, having picked up an injury in the FA Cup final two weeks before. But he overcame any issues and started in Paris as they suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Paris.
But there are now suggestions that the 29-year-old wasn’t at full fitness at the Stade de France, with the Egypt manager confirming he came into the recent international camp carrying a knock. Ehab Galal was speaking after guiding the Pharaohs to victory over Guinea in his first game in charge.
Egypt left it late to win their opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with Mostafa Mohamed scoring the winner with just three minutes remaining. Salah played all 90 minutes in Cairo, but Galal admitted that was only after he had rejected Liverpool ’s request of getting a pre-match scan.
“Salah was suffering from an injury and played through it,” Galal told KingFut. “He rejected Liverpool’s request for an X-ray before the game and will now undergo it.”
It’s the latest act in a frustrating few days for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, coming hot on the heels of Sadio Mane making headlines before Senegal’s clash with Benin. Mane, who like Salah is out of contract next summer, said he would side with his people after it was relayed to him that more than half of his nation wanted him to leave Liverpool.
"Isn't it between 60 to 70% of Senegalese want me to leave Liverpool?” Mane said last week. “I will do what they want. We will see soon! The future will tell us." He has since clarified those comments and insisted they were tongue in cheek, but it’s done little to quash speculation surrounding an imminent exit.
And while Salah has confirmed his intention to remain at Anfield next season , Mane has done nothing of the sort with Bayern Munich having already seen an opening bid rejected. As for Salah, he has remained coy in regards to the ongoing negotiations and refused to speculate over his long-term future in the build-up to the final with Madrid.
"In my mind, I don't focus on the contract. I don't want to be selfish at all,” he explained. “I said two months ago it's about the team. It's an important week for us.”
In a separate interview with FourFourTwo, the Liverpool talisman rejected claims that money was the reason behind the lengthy contract negotiations. "I don't know, I have one year left. I think the fans know what I want, but in the contract it's not everything about the money at all.
“So I don't know, I can't tell you exactly. I have one year left and the fans know what I want. This club means a lot to me - I've enjoyed my football here more than anywhere, I gave the club everything and everybody saw that. I've had a lot of unbelievable moments here, winning trophies, individual goals, individual trophies. It's like a family here."
