MOHAMED SALAH JOINS LIVERPOOL SQUAD FOR MARSEILLE CLASH AFTER AFCON RETURN
Mohamed Salah returns to Liverpool’s lineup against Marseille. Arne Slot shuts down rift rumors and eyes the UCL knockouts.
Mohamed Salah looks set to jump straight back into Liverpool’s starting lineup against Marseille on Wednesday. Arne Slot made it clear he’s got no problems with the Egyptian forward.
Salah joined Liverpool training on Tuesday for the first time since coming back from the Africa Cup of Nations. His dream of winning a first continental title with Egypt ended in the semi-finals against Senegal, who went on to win it all. Before he left for Morocco, people were already questioning his Liverpool future. He’d accused the club of hanging him out to dry after some poor results, and his relationship with Slot seemed to be on the rocks.
No one really knows what’s next for Salah at Liverpool, but Slot insists there’s nothing personal going on from his side. He pretty much said Salah’s coming straight back into the squad for the Champions League clash in France. If Liverpool wins in Marseille, they’re through to the knockout rounds.
Slot explained, “There was one time I chose not to play Mo, and one time I didn’t take him to a game—the Inter match after his big interview. Every other match, he’s been in the squad. He was the first sub against Brighton. So for me, there’s never been an issue. First chance I get, he’s back in the squad. Check the lineup tomorrow if you still think there’s a problem.”
Since Slot first dropped Salah at West Ham, Liverpool have gone unbeaten in 12 games. Still, Slot admits they’ve missed Salah’s impact. “I’m really happy he’s back,” he said. “We’ve done alright without him—barely conceded and created a lot of chances. But when you’re creating that much, having Salah makes a difference.”
“There’s only one player who’s scored more for Liverpool, but I don’t think I can put Ian Rush out there anymore!” Slot joked. Roger Hunt actually scored more, too, though some of those were in Division Two. “It’s just good to have Mo back. Against Burnley, with all those chances and possession, you’d back Salah to score more.”
Ibrahima Konaté didn’t make the trip to Marseille because of a family issue. As for pressure, someone asked Slot if he feels it more now that Xabi Alonso is out of a job and if Alonso—a Liverpool favourite—has been in touch.
Slot laughed it off. “Yeah, he called me and said, ‘What do you think about the team? I’m taking over in six months. Can you fill me in?’ Maybe he takes over tomorrow. No, seriously, that’s one of the weirdest questions I’ve had. What’s there to say?”
“I’ve been here a bit over a year and a half, and I really enjoy the job. We won the league last season; this year’s been tougher, that’s clear. There’s not much else to add.”
MARTIN ODEGAARD AND KAI HAVERTZ MISS FINAL TRAINING; CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES FADING
Arsenal's Champions League hopes are in doubt as Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz miss final training ahead of the Atletico tie.
Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz didn’t show up for Arsenal’s open training on Monday, just a day before the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. Both missed Saturday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham because of injuries: Odegaard with his knee and Havertz with a muscular problem.
Odegaard hurt his knee in last week’s draw with Atletico, while Havertz hasn’t played since picking up an issue against Newcastle. After beating Fulham, Mikel Arteta sounded confident they’d be ready for Atletico, but on Monday neither player was seen with the first team. That’s a big hint they won’t be involved at the Emirates.
Arteta is set to speak to the media soon, though don’t expect him to spill much; he’s known for keeping his cards close to his chest when it comes to team news.
There were a couple more missing faces at London Colney. Jurrien Timber (groin) and Mikel Merino (foot) were also absent. Timber hasn’t featured since before the international break, and it’s unclear when he’ll return, but Arsenal hope it’s before the end of the season. Merino’s been out nearly three months since foot surgery. He might not play again this month.
On the upside, Bukayo Saka was back in training after getting subbed at halftime against Fulham, where he started his first Premier League game since mid-March.
Now, Arsenal really have a headache. Odegaard, who scored 15 goals last season, just hasn’t looked the same. Staff are increasingly worried about him; he’s missed 25 games in all competitions this year, thanks to a pileup of injuries: two freak shoulder issues, two muscular injuries, and the recurring knee problem. When he’s fit, Odegaard can still make magic happen; just look at his four assists across six games in January, but right now, his body keeps letting him down.
Havertz’s story isn’t much brighter. He’s managed only 20 appearances this season, mostly because of a serious knee injury in the summer and more muscle problems afterward. He’s Arsenal’s top earner at £280,000 a week, while Odegaard sits fourth at £240,000. Having two high-paid players sidelined so often is not ideal, and Arsenal need answers.
To try to sort out this ongoing injury crisis, Arteta has reportedly brought in a trusted expert from the medical field to lead an investigation. Arsenal hope this move finally sheds some light on their troubled injury record.
DECLAN RICE ACCUSES REFEREE OF CRUMBLING UNDER PRESSURE IN MADRID PENALTY DRAMA
Arsenal head to the Emirates with a 1-1 draw, but Declan Rice is fuming over the officiating standards in the Champions League.
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Declan Rice didn’t hold back after Arsenal’s 1-1 draw in Madrid, backing Mikel Arteta’s outrage and insisting the team deserved a “clear” penalty. He even went so far as to say that Atlético Madrid’s fans pushed the referee, Danny Makkelie, into changing his mind.
Arteta was livid. Late in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, Makkelie first pointed to the spot for Arsenal after Eberechi Eze went down. But surrounded by Diego Simeone’s wild sideline antics and the roar of 70,000 Atleti supporters, Makkelie stared at the replay 13 times, then flipped his call and waved play on.
Looking back on it, Rice couldn’t believe it. “It’s a clear penalty,” he said. “I don't know how that's not been given. I think the fans got to him and changed his mind. UEFA is just a different world. In both boxes, you have to be so careful because referees call everything.”
Arsenal ran into trouble with VAR twice. First, the ref ruled Ben White handled a Llorente volley, and Julián Álvarez buried the resulting penalty, cancelling out Viktor Gyökeres’ earlier spot-kick. Rice felt for White. Talking with Stan Sport, he said, “If that happens in the Premier League, it doesn’t get given. The ball’s hardly off the ground, and it’s not even on target. But in the Champions League, the refs make these snap calls and whistle for everything. It’s just more strict. But whatever, we move on. We want to beat them next week.”
Despite the drama, Arsenal is still in a solid spot. They’ll head back to London, hoping the home crowd can push them into their first Champions League final since 2006. Bukayo Saka, freshly back from an Achilles injury, is counting on it. “We’d have liked to win, but we’ll take the draw. It’s halftime, and we’re full of confidence going back to the Emirates,” he said. “I’m sure the atmosphere will be even bigger, and that will give us a real boost.”
Before that return leg, Arsenal face Fulham at home on Saturday. They could put more heat on Manchester City by stretching their Premier League lead, though City still has games in hand and plays Everton next. The race is on.
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