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Football

22nd Jun 2018

Mohamed Salah “shocked” by reports from Egyptian press

"We're all perplexed by what has been published."

Darragh Murphy

The entire Egypt camp is baffled by reports which have claimed that Mohamed Salah planned to head home early after the country’s elimination from the World Cup.

It was made impossible for Egypt to make it out of Group A after Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to hosts Russia and the Egyptian press reported that Salah would be leaving before the team’s final group game against Saudi Arabia next Monday.

Salah played no part in Egypt’s World Cup opener against Uruguay last week due to concerns over the shoulder injury he picked up in last month’s Champions League final but he played the full 90 minutes against Russia and scored Egypt’s only goal via a late penalty.

And while The Pharaohs’ World Cup is now over, Salah has no intention to walk away before the last match against Saudi Arabia.

The Liverpool talisman took to Twitter to insist that there was no dissent in the Egypt ranks, playing down claims of a rift.

“Everyone in Egypt is together and there is absolutely no disagreement between us,” Salah wrote in Arabic. “We respect each other and the relationship is great.”

President of the Egyptian Football Association, Hany Abo Rida, has revealed that Salah will remain with the team and explained how the 26-year-old was surprised to learn of the reports in the media.

“I have no idea about Liverpool,” he said, via the Liverpool Echo. “But we have our captain Mohamed Salah and under the rules Fifa requires him to be inside his camp and requires him to stay with his team.

“I do not know what Liverpool meant, but he did not ask his club any questions.

“He is happy to mingle with his teammates and he was shocked by what the press has written about him and denied it all on social media.

“We’re all perplexed by what has been published and have no idea where it came from.”