One of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane's former Liverpool team-mates has lifted the lid on their relationship as they reunite at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday
Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah (R) and Senegalese footballer Sadio Mane, who are nominees for the CAF Best Player Award 2018, address a press conference in Dakar
Former Liverpool team-mates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will reunite in the AFCON semi-finals on Wednesday(Image: SEYLLOU, AFP via Getty Images)
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Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane hit the highest highs in football together at Liverpool. However, their competitive relationship will resumeon Wednesday at the Africa Cup of Nations as Egypt face Senegal in a semi-final that could finally deliver Salah his elusive continental crown.
According to the man who knows Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah better than most, the pair were "never best friends" and seldom engaged in conversation. Roberto Firmino completed Liverpool's formidable attacking triumvirate under Jurgen Klopp, frequently operating in the shadows while Mane and Salah took the limelight.
Both forwards secured the Premier League's Golden Boot, yet beneath their on-field partnership lay an underlying competition for supremacy. That rivalry will resume when Egypt lock horns with Senegal again in the Africa Cup of Nations' penultimate round.
While their Anfield achievements were always collective, their national team fortunes have diverged considerably. Perhaps that competitive edge, which only surfaced when representing their respective nations, explains why they could never fully escape the sense of being adversaries.
In his autobiography, Si Senor, Firmino revealed: "I knew these guys better than anyone. They were never best friends. The three of us had very different personalities, Mane the most explosive, my role [was] as peacemaker, unifier. It was rare to see the two of them talking. But they never severed ties, always acted with the utmost professionalism."
That's not to say there weren't heated moments. Salah has always been known for the self-centred streak that every top striker needs.
Mane, on the other hand, was seen as lacking this trait, and his work ethic was as impressive as his individual talent. These contrasting styles made them exceptional but also led to conflicts.
During a notorious incident at Turf Moor, Salah opted not to pass to Mane and fluffed his shot instead, and the Senegal star didn't let it slide. When he was substituted, he vented his frustration at the bench, with his emotional outburst undoubtedly stemming from his team-mate's selfishness.
Two soccer players, one wearing a jersey numbered 11 and the other dressed in a black uniform, are walking on the field in front of a cheering crowd.
Mane and Salah endured a rocky relationship during their time at Anfield(Image: Paul Currie/BPI/REX)
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However, while Salah's goal tally significantly surpasses Mane's, the latter will be able to leave a legacy of success with his national team, something Salah has yet to achieve. Mane is participating in his sixth AFCON, compared to Salah's fifth, and the duo have each played in two finals.
They even faced off against one another in the continental decider five years ago. Billed simply as Mane vs Salah, the former had a penalty saved in regular time but bounced back to score the final spot kick for Senegal in a shoot-out that secured his country's maiden AFCON victory.
History repeated itself just a month later when Salah missed a penalty in a two-legged World Cup qualifier. Once again, Mane stepped up to take the crucial penalty and scored to send his country to Qatar, leaving Salah to watch the tournament from home.
Egypt boast a record seven African championship triumphs, yet none have come during Salah's tenure. And the forward has made no secret of his burning ambition to claim the trophy.
Egypt's Mohamed Salah looks on during an Africa Cup of Nations game
Salah has yet to get his hands on the AFCON crown after two runner-up finishes(Image: Getty)
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"Nobody wants this title as much as I do," he said following Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Ivory Coast, which secured Egypt's passage to the semi-finals. "Thankfully, I have won every title apart from this. But that doesn't help. I've carried the pressure for a long time."
During his spell at Liverpool, he played a pivotal role in ending the club's three-decade wait for a league title. He also helped lift the curse for Klopp, netting the opening goal in the Champions League final to break a sequence of six consecutive final defeats for the German.
Now the Pharaohs' superstar must confront his own personal challenge. While a midweek win would only grant passage to the final, where either Nigeria or Morocco awaits, Mane remains an obstacle Salah has yet to overcome.
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