MO SALAH is set to return to Liverpool after withdrawing from Egypt’s camp ahead of their match against Mauritania on Tuesday night.
Egypt captain Salah, 32, traveled to Cairo earlier this week to join his national team.
He started their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mauritania last night and scored in the team’s 2-0 victory.
The Pharoahs will face the same opposition away from home on Tuesday but without their star player.
An Egyptian FA statement read: “The technical staff of Egypt’s senior football team, led by manager Hossam Hassan, met with Pharaoh’s captain Mohamed Salah.
“It was agreed during the meeting to rest the player from the upcoming match.”
Salah’s withdrawal coincides with concerns about Mauritania’s pitch and style of play.
Tuesday’s game will be played at Nouakchott’s 8,200-capacity Cheikha Ould Boidiya Stadium, which has a plastic pitch.
Following last night’s victory, Egypt manager Hassan admitted that his key player could be missing on Tuesday, while also describing his team’s opponents as “dangerous”.
He stated, “If any player asks me not to play on artificial turf, I will agree.”
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“The Mauritanian team plays hard and uses dangerous interventions, and their field is not ideal.
“If Salah specifically asks me to do so, I will agree.”
He stated: “The Egyptian team must play in a different, fast, and offensive rhythm. The Mauritania match is difficult, and the team is extremely heavy. We didn’t win by chance.
Egypt leads their Afcon qualification group with nine points after three games, six points ahead of Mauritania, Cape Verde, and Botswana.
Prior to Tuesday’s test, Hassan stated: “I was very concerned about the Mauritania match, and the pitch there is very difficult.
“I don’t care if I lose there. What is important to me is that I do not lose.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Salah to be fit and available when the Reds face Chelsea in the Premier League next Sunday.
A poster for the Liverpool Champions League fixtures.
