Mohamed Salah could soon be at the centre of a dispute between Liverpool and the Egyptian national team.
The 33-year-old is expected to miss Liverpool’s Christmas-period fixtures due to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), held from 21 December to 18 January. Egypt are tipped to make a deep run in the tournament, increasing the likelihood of his extended absence. Recent reports in Egypt say head coach Hossam Hassan wants his players to report for camp two weeks before AFCON starts — which could further reduce Salah’s time with Liverpool.
Salah, however, reportedly wants to remain with Liverpool for as long as he can. According to Lewis Steele of Mail Sport, Salah is scheduled to speak with Hassan next week in an effort to reach a compromise that suits both club and country.
Under tournament rules, Egypt are allowed to call up the Liverpool forward 14 days before AFCON kicks off. If that happens, Salah could miss the Champions League match away to Inter Milan on 9 December and the Premier League fixture against Brighton on 13 December.
It’s understood that Salah would prefer to stay at Anfield for those two games and then travel to join Egypt, especially as Liverpool’s Carabao Cup exit means they have a free midweek afterwards.
How many matches could Salah miss?
The best scenario for Liverpool would be Salah remaining for the Inter and Brighton matches and Egypt exiting early, which could allow him to return in time for the New Year’s Day game against Leeds — though even that would be tight.
In the worst case, if he joins the Egypt camp early and they reach the semi-finals or beyond, he could miss eight Liverpool matches, including trips to Tottenham and Arsenal.
This will be the third time Salah leaves mid-season for AFCON. While there were no problems four years ago, his early return to Liverpool after getting injured during the 2023 edition angered fans back home. He struggled to regain form afterward, and Liverpool’s title challenge faded.
With Salah appearing keen to delay his departure, Liverpool will hope that Hassan agrees — and that both sides can reach a friendly compromise.
Leave a Reply