Salah focused on Egypt ambition with Liverpool crisis behind him

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has put aside his travails at Liverpool and is focused on Africa Cup of Nations success with his national team, coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.

Egypt’s talisman is at the tournament in Morocco on the back of a fiery outburst after being dropped by the Premier League champions, but his comments and subsequent apology to teammates have had no impact on his form, Hassan said ahead of Egypt’s opening Group B match against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.

“Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” said the coach.

At 33, it is arguably Salah’s last chance to win an elusive trophy with Egypt and add international honours to an impressive collection of medals at club level.

“I believe Salah will be among the best players at the tournament and he will remain an icon and one of the best players in the world.

“I support him technically and morally, because we cannot forget that Salah needs to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” Hassan added.

Salah goes into Monday’s match having last started for Liverpool in their 4-1 home loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League at the end of November.

He was dropped for the next game against West Ham United and after a draw with Leeds United on December 6 lashed out at the club and Liverpool coach Arne Slot, telling journalists he felt he had been made a scapegoat for their poor start to the season and suggested that he may not have long left at Anfield.

Hassan said he had kept in touch with his captain throughout the controversy.

“There was constant communication with Mohamed Salah during what I don’t want to call a crisis because any player can have a difference of opinion with his coach at his club.”

Salah has not scored since Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa at the start of November, including an outing with Egypt in a friendly against Uzbekistan last month.

“The same situation happened with Salah when he went through a period of not scoring goals with Liverpool,” Hassan told reporters.

“Then he returned to the right path through the national team and as a result he came back at a level even better than before. I believe he will deliver a strong tournament alongside his teammates.”

Salah has twice been a Cup of Nations runner-up in 2017 and 2021. Egypt have won a record seven AFCON titles but their last success was in 2010.