Egypt FA dismiss reports of early Salah departure

Mohamed Salah will remain in the Egypt camp for their final World Cup game against Saudi Arabia, the President of their Football Association has insisted.

Salah, still nursing a serious shoulder injury he sustained in the Champions League final, sat out his side’s opener against Uruguay before returning to the starting line-up for their all-important second game against hosts Russia.

However, he remained clearly unfit and though he managed to tuck away a penalty, Egypt were comfortably beaten and eliminated from the tournament.

Thereafter, there were murmurs Salah would leave the squad’s base early to focus on his rehabilitation, but Egyptian FA chief Hany Ado Riba declared himself baffled by such suggestions.

“I have no idea about Liverpool,” he said. “But we have our captain Mohamed Salah and under the rules FIFA requires him to be inside his camp and requires him to stay with his team.

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SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – JUNE 19: Mohamed Salah of Egypt is consoled by team mate Shikabala the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group A match between Russia and Egypt at Saint Petersburg Stadium on June 19, 2018 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

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“I do not know what Liverpool meant, but he did not ask his club any questions. He is happy to mingle with his teammates and he was shocked by what the press has written about him and denied it all on social media.

“We’re all perplexed by what has been published and have no idea where it came from.”

There have been rumours of a rift in the camp, but Salah issued a tweet on Wednesday stressing that “everyone in Egypt is together”.

الجميع في منتخب مصر متكاتف ولا يوجد أي خلاف على الإطلاق بيننا.. نحترم بعضنا البعض والعلاقة على أفضل وجه.

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) June 20, 2018

It remains to be seen whether Egypt will field their skipper to boost their prospects of victory against the Saudis, or elect to rest him to ensure he does not aggravate his injury further.

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Source: anfieldhq.com