Report: Liverpool make request to Egyptian FA to exclude Mo Salah from upcoming international friendlies

Liverpool are set for another battle with the Egyptian FA after officially asking them to exclude Mo Salah from the March friendlies.

Salah had his African Cup of Nations tournament ended early after suffering a hamstring injury, and after a lay-off he returned to Liverpool action against Brentford on the 17th of February playing the second 45 minutes where he scored and produced a assist in the 4-1 victory.

However bad news was to come in the aftermath of that game when the winger sustained a muscular injury which was apparently linked to his original ailment.

There was always apprehension and caution attached in regards to how to bring Salah back to the playing fold, given how vital he is to the fortunes of Liverpool battling for honours on all four fronts.

It seems remarkable to think in the modern day of high-octane Football and especially the way that Salah plays the game, that this was his first setback with any sort of muscle strain or tear that he has had since being at the club.

But it is to his utmost credit in the professional way he prepares himself, that the 31 year-old has almost been an omnipresent fixture on the team sheet of Jurgen Klopp.

To highlight that further, in his first six seasons on Merseyside, Salah has averaged 36.33 Premier League appearances per season, and extending that to all competitions he has averaged 50.83 appearances per season, only once not passing the half century which was in 2019/20.

This campaign will be the second time, as even if he plays every possible game from here on in (currently on 28) he will fall one game short of the mark.

But by far the most important thing is getting Salah back on the pitch and in top shape once the big games come around, which basically starts this week with a Round- of-16 clash with Sparta Prague in the Europa League followed by a visit from reigning league champions Man City.

And hence why the letter was written to Egyptian officials, however the response gives the impression that they will make the decision and not Liverpool as the Echo reported.

“We have already received a letter from Liverpool to exempt Mohamed Salah from the upcoming camp due to his injury. We sent the name of Mohamed Salah among the professional players that we are requesting to include in the next camp a few days ago.

"It is our right to include any professional player as long as it is at the time of the international agenda, and the issue of whether or not to include him is in the hands of the national team’s technical staff, led by captain Hossam Hassan.

"It is still too early to decide the matter, and if Mohamed Salah plays any match in the time before the start of the camp, we will adhere to his inclusion, and he will be examined and his readiness determined by the medical staff of the Egyptian national team."

In 2021, Liverpool won the battle of wills with the Egyptian FA when they refused to release him for duty for the Olympic Games which they had every right not to given it was a non-FIFA sanctioned event.

But it is clear given that wording that there is no love lost and the Egyptian FA are determined to chalk up any win they can.

But let us hope the bigger picture is not lost in all this, and that is the fitness of one of the most important players in modern day Football.