Mohamed Salah has admitted he would have “mixed feelings” if he ever had to face Liverpool before retiring.
Liverpool and Salah reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract at the end of last season, and he surprisingly opted to join Turkish side Trabzonspor.
He has since scored four goals in his first six appearances, but he knows he will not face the Reds in his first season at his new club as they only qualified for the UEFA Conference League.
The prospect of meeting Liverpool before the 34-year-old retires remains a possibility, and it is an experience that would prove “very tricky” for Salah if it eventuated.
“I would feel mixed feelings,” Salah said of the prospect of facing Liverpool to Trabzonspor’s in-house media. “It’s mixed feelings because I’ve been there nine years.
“I love the city, I love the fans, and we always had a special relationship, so it would be very tricky!”
Could Liverpool and Trabzonspor play against each other?
Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Mohamed Salah in action during the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
While a pre-season friendly could be directly agreed between the two clubs, a competitive fixture would require both to qualify for the same European competition, and then be drawn against each other.
Liverpool’s minimum requirement each season is to qualify for the Champions League, but Trabzonspor’s last outing in the competition proper was in 2011/12.
It makes the prospect of a battle with Salah unlikely before he retires, though it remains a possibility for as long as he continues playing and both Liverpool and his side qualify for Europe.
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Why Mo Salah chose to join Trabzonspor
Mohamed Salah smiles ahead of the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Mohamed Salah smiles ahead of the Turkish Super Lig soccer match between Kasimpasa and Trabzonspor in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
As for why he decided to join Trabzonspor, seen as a surprise move as the club was not in Champions League reckoning, Salah said:
“I think his (the club president’s) ambition and also what he is trying to build in the club, that’s what convinced me with.
“I came from a place at Liverpool where the people love me, they always show me love and respect. I’d been there for nine years.
“What he said about the love I would see here – it was in my head was, ‘Yeah, I would love to see that’, which is what happened when I arrived at the airport.
“It was incredible. And also at the stadium was incredible. The main thing for me was he really wants to win something with the team, which convinced me this is the right thing to do.”
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