We’re all hoping to see Mohamed Salah shine at the World Cup this summer, but importantly, it’s crucial that they don’t aggravate his shoulder injury.
Our talisman last season of course sustained his injury issue in the Champions League final after that controversial tangle with Sergio Ramos, which in turn made him a doubt for the tournament in Russia.
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However, after making the final squad, he was left out of Egypt’s opening game in their 1-0 defeat to Uruguay on Friday as he had to settle for a place on the bench.
The Egyptian FA have now revealed that it was ultimately to avoid the risk of seeing him suffer a damaging setback, while coach Hector Cuper has hinted that he could bring the winger back in the next game against Russia on Tuesday.
“He was fit to play against Uruguay but the coach did not want to take the risk,” said the EFA, as per the club’s official site.
“Mo Salah is an extremely important player for us, nobody can deny that, but you need to have a good team, and we have a good team,” Cuper added. “We wanted to avoid any risks in this match, but I think he will be fine for the next game.”
Playing for his country will mean a lot to Salah, especially on the biggest stage of them all. In turn, naturally, given the impact he has had over the last year, he will be pivotal to their hopes of advancing beyond the group stage in Russia and bouncing back from their disappointing late defeat to Uruguay.
We want to see him flourish, but it’s crucial that he is passed 100 per cent fit and isn’t going to risk damaging his shoulder further if he’s simply not ready. Cuper seemingly still has doubts, and so it remains to be seen how the situation develops over the next 48 hours.