AFCON FOCUS: EGYPT RALLY AROUND MO SALAH AMIDST TENSE LIVERPOOL FUTURE
Mohamed Salah's Egypt teammates are showing fierce support for their captain as he heads to AFCON, amid an uncertain Liverpool future and massive interest from Saudi PIF.
Mohamed Salah's relationship with Liverpool seems tense, but he'll still get a warm welcome from his Egypt teammates as they get ready for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which starts on December 21.
Even though Salah's future with Liverpool is uncertain, his Egypt teammates are supporting their captain as they head to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.
Egypt, which has won the tournament a record seven times, are in Group B with Angola, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. They'll stay in Agadir, a city on the southern coast, for the first stage.
Striker Ahmed Kouka Hassan posted on social media that players like Salah shouldn't be on the bench. He was talking about Salah being a substitute in Liverpool's last three games, only playing in one.
He added that if Salah does start on the bench, he should be the first player to come on, no later than the 65th minute.
Kouka said that Salah is more than just a teammate; he's a leader and a legend for both club and country, encouraging him to keep working hard because tough times don't last, but his greatness will.
Head coach Hossam Hassan shared a photo of himself with Salah, calling him a symbol of perseverance and strength.
Winger Ahmed Zizo El Sayed called Salah the greatest Liverpool legend ever, and goalkeeper Mohamed Sobhy said he's always the best.
Liverpool hasn't been doing great in their title defence this season. They're currently 10th, 10 points behind Arsenal. Salah has only scored four goals in 13 league games.
After their 3-3 draw with Leeds United, where they gave up the lead twice, Salah told reporters that he felt like the club had thrown him under the bus.
He said it was clear that someone wanted him to take the blame for their poor performance and that someone didn't want him at the club.
Salah wasn't in the squad for the Champions League game against Inter, and he's hinted that he might not play for Liverpool again.
A source from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) told AFP that they're ready to do whatever it takes to sign Salah during the mid-season transfer window.
Egypt hasn't won AFCON in 15 years, but Salah, who is 33, believes they'll win it again before he retires.
He said that he believes it will happen and that it's a great feeling every time he represents Egypt.
Salah has experienced a lot of disappointment in his four AFCON appearances, with Egypt finishing as runners-up twice and being knocked out in the round of 16 twice.
He assisted the goal that put Egypt ahead in the 2017 final, but Cameroon came back to win 2-1.
Egypt, as hosts and favourites, was shocked by South Africa in the first knockout round in 2019, losing 1-0 to a late goal.
They reached the final again in 2022 but lost to Senegal on penalties after a goalless draw.
Last year in the Ivory Coast, Salah injured his hamstring against Ghana and didn't play again in the tournament. Egypt then lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the round of 16.
This year, Egypt has a lot of attacking talent, including Salah, Omar Marmoush from Manchester City, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes, and Mahmoud Trezeguet Hassan and Zizo from Al Ahly.
Group B is the only group in Morocco with two teams that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup: Egypt and South Africa.
South Africa did better than expected by finishing third at the 2024 AFCON, but their coach, Hugo Broos, thinks it will be tougher this time, as every team will be trying harder to beat them.
Angola and Zimbabwe have both recently hired new coaches: Patrice Beaumelle from France and Mario Marinica from Romania.
Angola has reached the quarterfinals three times, including last year, while Zimbabwe has never made it past the first round.
WHY DID CRISTIANO RONALDO CRY? LUKA MODRIC EXPOSES JOSE MOURINHO’S HARSHEST LECTURE
Luka Modric reveals Jose Mourinho once reduced Cristiano Ronaldo to tears at Real Madrid for failing to track back defensively.
Luka Modric says that Jose Mourinho once gave Cristiano Ronaldo such a harsh lecture that the guy was in tears.
Ronaldo, who's 40 now, played really well under Mourinho, who's 62. They were together at Real Madrid for three seasons, but apparently, they didn't always get along off the field.
Even though things got off to a slow start, the Portuguese superstar still managed to score 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho. He also helped Mourinho win three trophies in his first two seasons.
But get this: even with superstars like Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria on his team, Mourinho was still super critical of Ronaldo's effort on defense.
Modric, who Mourinho signed from Tottenham back in 2013, told a story about one argument that made Ronaldo cry. Apparently, it was because he didn't chase after his assigned player.
"I saw him make Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the locker room," Modric told Corriere della Sera, an Italian news outlet. Can you believe it? A guy who always gives it his all on the field, and he's getting yelled at because he didn't chase some defender.
Modric moved to Real Madrid in 2013 and only played under Mourinho for a year.
Modric, who played alongside Kaka and Mesut Ozil in the midfield after arriving for a big £33 million, didn't say which game the argument happened in.
Guillem Balague, a Spanish soccer journalist, wrote in Ronaldo's biography that Ronaldo and Mourinho almost fought after Mourinho yelled at him in the locker room following a 2-0 win against Valencia in January 2013.
Mourinho was mad because Ronaldo didn't seem willing to help out on defense during the game. And Ronaldo supposedly replied, After everything I've done for you, this is how you treat me? How dare you say that to me!
Later that season, which turned out to be Mourinho's last with the team, Ronaldo was constantly asked about Mourinho's future. "I don't care," he said once. What I care about is my own future and the club.
This was a big change from earlier that year, when Mourinho said before the 2012 Ballon d'Or race, If Messi is the best on the planet, Ronaldo is the best in the universe!
After Mourinho left Real Madrid, he went on Spanish TV to talk about what caused the problems between him and Ronaldo.
"I only had one problem with him," he said. It was simple. When a coach gives a player feedback on tactics, they are trying to help them get better, in my opinion. He didn't take it well because he probably thinks he knows everything, and the coach can't help him.
Mourinho also said that they didn't really have a relationship. But time seemed to fix things, as he later said that coaching Ronaldo was the best thing that ever happened in his career.
Ronaldo also seemed to warm up to Mourinho later on, even saying that he was the best coach he ever had, even better than Sir Alex Ferguson. "I'd put him at the top; I always say that," Ronaldo said.
Ronaldo scored 168 goals in 164 games while playing for Mourinho during their three years together.
Even though Modric didn't win any trophies in his first season at Madrid, he was so impressed by Mourinho that he repeated something Mourinho famously said about himself.
He's special, as a coach and as a person, Modric said. He was the one who wanted me at Real Madrid. I wouldn't have come without him. I'm sad I only had him for one season.
Modric spent 13 years at Real Madrid, mostly managed by Carlo Ancelotti. Now he's at AC Milan and managed by Massimiliano Allegri. But he says Mourinho is the toughest of the three.
He added, "Mourinho is really direct with the players, but he's honest." He treated Sergio Ramos and new players the same way. If he had something to say, he'd say it. Max is the same way. He tells you what's right and wrong to your face. Honesty is key.
Modric also shared his opinion on the never-ending debate of who's better, Lionel Messi or Ronaldo, but said he doesn't really like talking about it.
"I don't like that question," he said. They both defined an era. I'm closer to Cristiano because I played with him; he was my teammate at Madrid, and I can tell you he's not just a great player, he's an amazing person. People don't know it, but he has a big heart and is always ready to help others. He's just a simple, normal guy.
He added, "I don't know Messi personally, but I'm sure he's great too." As a player, he's incredible.
CELTIC FANS DEMAND BOARD SACK WILFRIED NANCY AFTER SHOCK MOTHERWELL DEFEAT TONIGHT
Wilfried Nancy dismisses sack talk after Celtic's 2-0 loss at Motherwell. With Rangers closing in, the Old Firm looms large.
After Celtic's fifth loss in seven games under his leadership, Wilfried Nancy brushed off ideas that Saturday's Old Firm game would decide his future.
Tuesday's match at Fir Park, called 'El Passico' due to both teams' open play styles, saw Motherwell outperform the Frenchman's team. Ibrahim Said and Elliot Watt scored on either side of halftime.
The 2-0 defeat, Celtic's 17th this year, meant Hearts stayed three points ahead in the league, while Rangers closed in, now just three points behind Nancy's squad after a 2-1 victory over St Mirren.
At the end of the game, visiting fans chanted for the board to be sacked, and some even demanded the manager's immediate dismissal. When asked if his first derby was a make-or-break moment, Nancy responded, No, not really. Every game matters to me and the team.
I'm not focused on my future. I'm focusing on what I'm doing now, what I need to do to help the team get better, and what we need to do as a team to improve. That's how I see it.
When asked if he understood the fans' deep worry about the lack of progress during his time, Nancy was indignant.
Progress? "There is progress," he insisted. But tonight, the situation and the opponent were tough.
This is a fact. Now, we need to figure out how to get better, and that's what we've been working on from the start. Tonight was rough. That's the truth.
When questioned about feeling the pressure after such a bad start as the champion's manager, Nancy added, As a manager, I don't want this, obviously.
Pressure doesn't change how I think. We know we have to perform well.
But right now, this is how it is. I knew it could be like this. We've had good games at times. Tonight was a hard one.
Regarding whether he was sure he could turn things around, Nancy said, Yes, I'm sure. I had to make some choices about the team tonight. I believe in what we're trying to do and where we're going. This was a hard game, difficult for us, but I think we'll improve.
Motherwell's manager, Jens Berthel Askou, praised his team, saying it was probably their best game of the season.
"We knew we'd probably need our best, most solid, and most complete performance, both with and without the ball, to win," he said.
We've had really big and good performances, but they haven't led to wins against Rangers or Celtic. So, that's what we got, and that's what we needed. It was amazing to see.