The entire nation of Egypt waits with baited breath at the injury news surrounding star striker Mohamed Salah after dislocating his shoulder while playing in the Champions League Final on Saturday with Liverpool against Real Madrid.
In what’s been deemed a cynical challenge by Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, Salah fell to the ground while intertwined with the center back, who locked the Egyptians arm in his clutches while rolling to the pitch.
Salah was subbed off in the 30th minute with tears in his eyes as it looked as though Egypt’s best player, who single-handedly willed them toward qualification of its first World Cup Finals appearance in 28 years, would not be able to suit up for the Pharaohs.
However, there seems to be a bit of good news for the Egyptians who are featured in Group A of the 2018 World Cup alongside Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and the hosts, Russia.
Liverpool physiotherapist Ruben Pons told Spanish website Marca that Salah might just be fit in time for his nation’s opener against Uruguay in just 17 days.
“Once we knew what we had, we planned the treatment, we met with the national team… he’s sad about what happened but he’s totally focused on recovering and seeing when he can be ready,” Pons said. “He is going to make the recovery times. In principle, it will be three to four weeks, but we are going to try to reduce those deadlines, that’s the big goal.”
It was a difficult ending to Salah’s stellar season, which has seen him catapult from promising star with Chelsea and Roma to a 25-year-old Balon d’Or candidate with the Merseysiders. He tallied 43 goals between the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, including 10 in the European championships, which ended harshly for the Salah-less Liverpool in a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.
For Egypt, Salah scored five goals in five matches during the Pharaoh’s qualification campaign, scoring the decisive penalty in a 2-1 victory over the Congo to lift his country into the Finals.
