Egypt will play a friendly match against New Zealand later this month. To the disappointment of Liverpool, national team coach Hossam Hassan has called up Mohamed Salah, but the star player has not responded to the call-up yet.
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Liverpool had hoped the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) would consent to their request for Mohamed Salah to be given some rest.
The 31-year-old forward suffered an injury during the Africa Cup earlier this year and has played only 45 minutes for the Premier League leaders since his return. However, the EFA has not yet agreed to this request, and it is still unclear whether Salah will join the national team for the upcoming fixtures.
Ehab El-Komy, a board member of the EFA, revealed during a press conference reported by KingFut, that the association has not been able to establish contact with Salah yet. Despite this, El-Komy emphasized that there is no dispute between Salah and the EFA. To facilitate communication and potentially resolve the situation, the Minister of Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, will hold a meeting. El-Komy highlighted the strong relationship between Salah and Sobhi, which could prove beneficial in these discussions.
The EFA, along with Sobhi, has an understanding that allows the minister to mediate and address any challenges related to the national team. The federation is also cognizant of Salah's current fitness levels, acknowledging that he has not fully recovered from his injury. El-Komy assured fans and the coaching staff that Salah's physical condition is a priority, and if he is not completely ready, they will proceed with even greater caution.
There is still a two-week window before the national team's next engagement, raising the possibility that Salah could regain full fitness in time. The EFA's stance is that if Salah participates in a match for Liverpool in the meantime, it would indicate his readiness to play, prompting a call-up to the national team.
This situation develops as Salah was spotted participating in Liverpool's training session on Wednesday, suggesting he might be nearing a return to full match fitness. Liverpool is set to compete in the Europa League on Thursday, with the first leg of the round of 16 against Sparta Prague on the horizon, which could serve as an opportunity for Salah to demonstrate his readiness to both his club and country.
