SOCCER: Salah will leave behind Liverpool tension to play for Egypt in Africa Cup

CAIRO — Mohamed Salah will step away from the tension at Liverpool when he joins Egypt in Morocco next week for the Africa Cup of Nations, following a recent clash with Premier League champions’ manager Arne Slot.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan confirmed Salah’s inclusion on Thursday as he announced his 28-man squad for the tournament, which begins on December 21. The 33-year-old winger is expected to miss at least two league matches for Liverpool.

Salah sparked a media storm after last weekend’s Premier League draw with Leeds United, claiming he had been used as a scapegoat for Liverpool’s poor run of form and that his relationship with Slot had deteriorated. He was left on the bench against Leeds, just as he was in last month’s match against West Ham United, and was omitted entirely from the squad for Liverpool’s midweek 1–0 Champions League win at Inter Milan.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Salah will be available for Liverpool’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. FIFA regulations state that players are only required to join their national teams one week before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations. During Egypt’s group-stage campaign, Liverpool will play Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush also earned a call-up, along with former Aston Villa midfielder and current Al-Ahly winger Mahmoud Trezeguet.

Seven-time Africa Cup champions Egypt will begin their tournament campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, followed by a match against South Africa on December 26. They will close the group stage on December 29 against Angola.

Egypt Squad

Goalkeepers:

Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly), Ahmed El-Shenawy (Pyramids), Mostafa Shobeir (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)

Defenders:

Mohamed Hany (Al-Ahly), Ahmed Eid (El-Masry), Rami Rabia (Al-Ain), Khaled Sobhi (El-Masry), Yasser Ibrahim (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Ismail (Zamalek), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek)

Midfielders:

Marwan Ateya (Al-Ahly), Hamdy Fathy (Al-Wakrah), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Mohamed Shehata (Zamalek), Emam Ashour (Al-Ahly), Ahmed Zizo (Al-Ahly), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al-Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Al-Jazira), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids), Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Forwards:

Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes), Salah Mohsen (El-Masry), Osama Faisal (National Bank of Egypt) -Mohamed Yossry and Taha Mohamed in Cairo, editing by Clare Fallon/Reuters