In a display of strategic silence, Egypt’s manager Rui Vitoria expressed his reservations about the premature disclosure of the injury details of Mo Salah before their crucial African Cup of Nations clash.
Salah, who suffered a muscle issue during Egypt’s 2-2 draw against Ghana, found himself at the center of a medical mystery.
Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp initially revealed Salah’s return to Merseyside for treatment, and the Egyptian FA later confirmed his absence from two matches, including the decisive Group B encounter against Cape Verde.
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However, the plot thickened hours before kick-off when Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas Issa, revealed a grimmer prognosis. The setback was now expected to keep Salah sidelined for 21-28 days.
Egypt managed to secure a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde, securing their spot in the knockout stage despite Salah’s absence.
Post-match, Vitoria provided an update on Salah’s injury, subtly criticizing Liverpool for their handling of the situation.
Vitoria asserted that Salah’s prolonged absence was known pre-game and emphasized the control exerted by Egypt’s medical team. He clarified,
“I didn’t think it was right for Liverpool, via any intermediary, to speak about this because we had a tremendously important game today.”
Vitoria’s remarks seemed to reflect a touch of annoyance at Klopp’s earlier comments. Yahoo Sport quoted him, stating,
“Given we were going to have to travel, given the temperatures, given that we were going to a different city, maybe it makes sense that Salah should have a place he can go to recover as quickly as possible.”
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Liverpool’s Statement on Mo Salah
Liverpool, on the other hand, issued a statement,
“Mohamed Salah will return to the AXA Training Centre on Wednesday to begin an intensive rehabilitation programme with Liverpool’s medical team on the muscle injury he sustained with Egypt last week.
The injury, which is worse than first feared, forced the forward from the field in the first half of the Africa Cup of Nations fixture with Ghana and an agreement has been reached with the Egyptian FA for Salah to undergo treatment in Liverpool.
Salah will immediately begin work with the club’s medical staff upon his return to Merseyside with a view to being back in action as soon as possible for club and country, giving him the best chance to return to compete at AFCON if Egypt, who qualified for the knockout stage with a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde tonight, continue to advance in the tournament.”
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The statement emphasized a collaborative approach with the Egyptian FA, aiming for Salah’s swift return to action for both club and country, particularly if Egypt continues to progress in the tournament.
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