Mohamed Salah has revealed that tension existed between himself and Sadio Mane during their time together in Liverpool.
Upon the arrival of Jurgen Klopp on Merseyside in 2015, the former Borussia Dortmund -Baas immediately set a significant restructuring of the team he inherited.
The key to that reconstruction was both Mane and Salah, who arrived in 2016 and 2017 respectively, and the couple would also enjoy shimmering success alongside Roberto Firmino as one of the most feared three in football.
Despite the collection of a whole series of honor together, reports have consistently suggested that Salah and Mane have endured a definitely icy relationship.
In a recent interview, Salah spoke to speculation for the first time and admitted that despite their chemistry on the field, their relationship had remained strictly professional.
“Yes, there was tension with Sadio,” Liverpool's talisman told L'Equipe.
'Mind you, we were professionally until the end, I don't think it influenced the team. It is a person to want more, I understand that he is a competitor.
“We were not very close to the field, but we always respected each other.”
A book that was published last year claimed that the relationship between the two constantly deteriorated during their time that played together, with a clear sense of Mane that his teammate was 'selfish'.
Speaking of the accusation, Salah insisted that he is not interested in speculation, but pointed out that he had consistently served as a provider during his time to play with Mane.
“I don't care. People can think what they want, it's their right, “he went on.
'But I invite everyone to note that the person who has given the most assists, I am.
'We can look at the facts, but it is clearly easier to throw away such sentences; It gets the headlines, I know how it works.
'As long as it stays within the limits of respect, that is fine with me. But that does not mean that this opinion is true. At the end of the day I know what I did and my conscience is clear. '
Interestingly, one of the first experts to pick up a potential gap between the two players was Michael Owen, who was mocked on a large scale at that time.
In 2021, the former Liverpool striker claimed that Mane deliberately avoided to be taken in the box to prevent Salah from offering further opportunity to increase his goal from the penalty spot.
He explained at the time: “I just wonder, and it is perhaps a bit of cunning thoughts that crawl into my head, Mo Salah is the penalty contractor in this team, and if he (mane) thinks he gets the chance to score, he thinks:” Well, I will score, Mo Salah will go a different fine. “
'These players go for the Golden Boot in recent seasons.
'It may be a wild kind of theory, but the competitive nature of him and Mo Salah … We have not seen them pass by when one of them is in a much better position for the other.
'We see a little selfishness, we see a little dissatisfied behavior – Mo Salah shakes his head (when he was immersed).
'I just think I have seen a few times seeing that Mane went down for that kind of opportunities … and (not to do it) Two games in the spider? It just reminded me a bit. '
More to follow
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