Mohamed Salah could already be at the centre of a club vs country row as Egypt want him to miss MORE Liverpool games – on top of his Africa Cup of Nations involvement
- Liverpool and Egypt star Salah could be set for another club vs country row
- Salah will already miss a part of next season because of Africa Cup of Nations
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Mohamed Salah could be at the centre of a fresh club vs country row with Egypt wanting him to miss the start of the 2024-25 season.
Liverpool’s talismanic forward will already miss a chunk of the upcoming new campaign, given that he will feature at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The international tournament is due to take place in the Ivory Coast and will kick off on January 13, with the final set to take place on February 11.
Salah’s involvement will come as a big loss to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp but he may now be facing the prospect of losing the Egyptian winger just a few months later.
With the Olympics taking place in Paris next summer, Egypt are set to consider their options and it could see them call up Salah to spearhead their football side in their bid to win a medal.
Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah could be set for another club vs country row
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However, the Paris Games are being held between July 26 and August 11, which would see any players taking part miss large chunks of pre-season and some early games of the 2024-25 campaign.
‘I am doing my best to choose the young players who will participate in the upcoming Olympics,’ Rogerio Micale, who will lead the Egyptians at the Olympics, told Ahram Online.
‘We still have one year to think of the matter and evaluate the situation, but for sure we welcome Salah… Salah is as significant as Neymar in Brazil.’
However, Liverpool would be within their rights to block a call-up if they so wished.
Klopp has previously bemoaned the packed footballing calendar and it’s ruthless scheduling, given that players rarely have breaks to rest.
Jurgen Klopp has bemoaned the packed footballing calendar and it’s ruthless scheduling
The German was also criticised for labelling the Africa Cup of Nations as a ‘little tournament’, which Klopp defended himself by claiming the remark was said ironically.
He said: I’ve heard that so often that there’s no international break until March. In January, there’s a little tournament in Africa, I just want to say, and I think Asia is playing games, too – South America as well, great, can’t wait.’
The most recent edition of the AFCON also saw Salah face his then-Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane in the final, with Mane’s Senegal beating Egypt in a penalty shoot-out.
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