Published 11:52 IST, November 4th 2020
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah could miss THREE MONTHS of next season
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah could miss up to three months of action for the Reds next season due to international duty (Tokyo Olympics, African Cup).
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Liverpool star Mohamed Salah could miss up to three months of action for the Reds next season due to international duty. As the national sides are allowed to take three players over the age of 23 to the Tokyo Olympics, Mohamed Salah is all but guaranteed to travel with Egypt to next year's tournament.
The African Cup of Nations had also been pushed to January-February 2022, meaning Salah is set to miss a large chunk of Liverpool's 2021-22 campaign, representing the nation in two tournaments that will clash with Liverpool's season. Jurgen Klopp may also have to cope without Sadio Mane and Naby Keita if they are chosen to represent Senegal and Guinea in the AFCON. Next summer’s Olympics are now scheduled to take place between July 23 and August 8.
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Salah set to miss out after busy period next season
Egypt Under-23s boss Shawky Garib told Ahram Online that the team's technical staff and the Egyptian Football Association are aiming to call up Mohamed Salah for the Olympics. "Salah is a world-class player and I hope that he will be able to play with us in the Olympics." Garib backed up his stance by pointing to Neymar's involvement in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, helping the nation to a gold medal.
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The coach continued: "When you have such a player in your team, the objectives of the team would be different. Brazil won the gold medal in Rio De Janeiro thanks to Neymar who led the Brazilian team in this competition. He also said the only and first name he put in the squad is Mohamed Salah and that all Egyptian players would like to have the honour to play in the Olympics but all of them, wanted Salah so he will be."
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The Egypt U23s coach said he's ready to put the pressure on Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool so Salah can represent his nation in 2022. Shawky Garib said he will travel all the way to London to do the same. He also recalled a meeting he had with Jurgen Klopp earlier when he convinced the German to let Mohamed Zidan join the Egypt squad.
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Ex-PL player Ahmed Hossam Hussein Abdelhamid believes Salah MUST play in Olympics & AFCON
Earlier this year, Mido expressed his desire to see Mohamed Salah go and represent Egypt in the AFCON. The former Middlesbrough man believes Liverpool don't have the right to say no to letting Salah leave. "These are FIFA rules and they can't prevent Salah from joining the national team for any reason, if Salah doesn't want to go, then this is the only reason for not seeing him. Salah is very important, of course, to our senior national team and to the Olympic team."
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Image credits: Liverpool Twitter
11:51 IST, November 4th 2020