Sadio Mané Finally Breaks Silence on His Turbulent Relationship With Mo Salah After Fiery Burnley Clash
A competitive edge often existed between Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah during their Liverpool years, and Mané has now revealed details of an “angry” moment between them. Alongside Roberto Firmino, the pair formed one of the most lethal attacking trios the Premier League has ever seen.
Both players are regarded as two of the greatest wingers in Liverpool’s history, but their strong winning mentalities sometimes led to clashes. One such incident happened in August 2019 during a league match at Burnley. Liverpool won 3–0 through a Chris Wood own goal, a Mané strike, and a Firmino finish—but the victory was overshadowed by Mané’s furious reaction when he was subbed off. Moments earlier, Salah had refused to pass to him in a promising position, sparking Mané’s frustration.
Despite spending five trophy-laden years together—winning every major honour, including Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years—the duo had several moments that hinted at a competitive rivalry.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, Mané opened up about their relationship:
“Mo is a great player. People always talk about a rivalry, but it’s not a bad thing. I’m quiet and friendly with everyone. Mo is also a good guy. On the pitch, sometimes he passes, sometimes he doesn’t. Bobby was the only one who shared the ball all the time.”
Mané then revisited the Burnley episode, admitting how angry he felt:
“I was really upset because he should’ve passed. I’d watched the game back—you could see it on my face. The next day he came wanting to talk but didn’t know how to start.”
Salah eventually approached him and explained:
“‘You think I didn’t want to pass? I wasn’t even thinking. I just wanted to shoot. I have nothing against you—if I saw you, I would pass.’”
Mané accepted the explanation, telling him:
“‘Don’t worry. I was only annoyed because I know your quality—you could pass more.’”
According to Mané, the incident actually brought them closer, even though Salah’s goalscoring drive sometimes made him tunnel-visioned on the pitch:
“As a striker, when Mo sees the ball, he doesn’t see anyone else. It’s not personal—he just wants to score. I even told him I can help him become top scorer because I don’t mind assisting.”
Mané left Liverpool for Bayern Munich in 2022, though injuries prevented him from replicating his Anfield form. His peak came alongside Salah under Jurgen Klopp, with Firmino completing the iconic frontline. While their relationship was frequently questioned—especially when representing Senegal and Egypt—Klopp always dismissed talk of a feud.
In 2022, Klopp said:
“They’re good humans, well-educated, and absolutely friends. Moments on the pitch happen—you want to score and realise later it was the wrong decision. It’s not rivalry, just football.”
Mané joined Liverpool in 2016 for £34m, with Salah arriving a year later for £36.9m. Under Klopp, they became central figures in Liverpool’s rise back to domestic and European success before the manager’s exit in 2024.