Mohamed Salah injured at Africa Cup of Nations; Jurgen Klopp confirms Liverpool forward’s return

Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward, will be returning to the club for rehabilitation following a muscle injury he sustained while playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. Salah was substituted during Egypt’s draw with Ghana on Thursday. Egypt has confirmed that Salah will miss their final group game and any potential last-16 game if they qualify. On Monday, Salah will attend Egypt’s final group game against Cape Verde before flying back to Liverpool.

Egypt expressed hope to have Salah back for the AFCON semi-finals, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had previously stated that if Salah regained fitness, he would return to national duty. The severity of Salah’s injury remains unclear. Klopp mentioned after Liverpool’s win over Bournemouth that it made sense for Salah to continue his rehabilitation with Liverpool’s medical team. They have been in contact with Salah since the injury occurred and expect him to return.

When asked about Salah’s potential return to the tournament if Egypt reaches the knockout stages, Klopp responded that if Salah was fit for the final, he would likely go back. Salah addressed reporters on Sunday but did not provide further details about his injury. He stated that his injury was still present but preferred to focus on the upcoming game against Cape Verde.

After additional examinations and discussions between the national team’s medical department and Liverpool’s counterpart, it has been confirmed that Salah will return to England for treatment. Egypt’s primary goal is to secure qualification for the next round, and they are fully committed to giving their best in the tournament. Salah expressed his belief that he will win the Africa Cup at some point in his career.

Liverpool faced a tough match against Bournemouth without Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold but emerged victorious, with doubles from Diogo Jota and Alejandro Nunez. The team demonstrated their strength in depth, and Klopp’s tactical adjustments proved effective. Liverpool’s defense, led by Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, also performed admirably. These performances have prompted suggestions that Liverpool could be the title favorites.