Mo Salah ‘still has Afcon final on his mind’ says Jurgen Klopp – who thinks that could be GOOD for Liverpool
MO Salah still has the devastating Afcon final shootout loss ‘on his mind’, says Jurgen Klopp. Egypt captain Salah, 29, missed out on an Afcon title as Reds team-mate Sadio Mane and Senegal took home the trophy. The Liverpool winger was due to take the fifth and final penalty in the shootout, but unfortunately for […]
MO Salah still has the devastating Afcon final shootout loss ‘on his mind’, says Jurgen Klopp.
Egypt captain Salah, 29, missed out on an Afcon title as Reds team-mate Sadio Mane and Senegal took home the trophy.
The Liverpool winger was due to take the fifth and final penalty in the shootout, but unfortunately for Egypt, it didn’t get that far.
Mane buried the winning penalty to help Senegalese win the trophy for the first time.
Klopp told Sky Sports that Salah was back training with his club on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s clash with Leicester.
The Reds boss said: “Yesterday everyone could see he has the final on his mind.
“He’s very disappointed, it was a massive thing.
“Losing a final is always really hard, I can sing that song, but losing the way they did was especially hard.
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“He is happy to be back but is disappointed as well, massively so.”
The German gaffer also talked about how Salah’s ‘disappointment’ could benefit Liverpool in the title race this season.
He said: “Is there greater determination for Mo?
“I don’t think there’s a lot of space for more determination in Mo’s mind.
“He will benefit off it and we will benefit off it.”
Meanwhile new signing Luis Diaz could make his first start for the Merseysiders against Brendan Rodgers’ side after impressing from the bench against Cardiff on Sunday.
Klopp added: I liked his contribution when he came on against Cardiff. Yesterday he enjoyed his training session a lot, I’m not sure I ever saw a player smiling so constantly during a rondo.”
Sadio Mane has only just returned to after Senegal’s Afcon celebrations and will not play.
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