Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has issued an update on Sadio Mane’s fitness and the potential for Mohamed Salah to play for Egypt in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo in the summer.
The Reds head to Norwich City on Saturday (Watch live, 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC and online via NBCSports.com) as they aim to keep their unbeaten season going as they waltz towards the Premier League with 24 wins from 25 games so far.
Klopp has been handed a big boost for the final months of the season as Liverpool aim to win the treble of the PL, Champions League and FA Cup with leading goalscorer Sadio Mane fit to play at Carrow Road.
Mane has been out since Jan. 23 with a hamstring injury but the winter break and Klopp given his first team time off for their FA Cup replay win against Shrewsbury came at a good time for the Senegalese winger.
Liverpool’s manager also discussed Mohamed Salah being named in Egypt’s initial 50-man shortlist to play at the 2020 Olympics in Japan this summer and comments from the Egyptian coaching staff that they definitely want him to be one of the three over-aged players allowed in the squad but that the decision is down to Salah, Klopp and Liverpool.
“There has been no decision,” Klopp said. “Do I want to lose the player in pre-season? Of course not. But we have to consider different things. I speak with Mo and we are completely clear about what we want. But we need more information. How would it look? When would the preparation start? All of that stuff and no one has really contacted us yet. We’ve had to play without Mo before. But it is the Olympics, and I’m still a sportsperson and the Olympics are the Olympics.”
Klopp and Liverpool seem to be just fine with Salah missing preseason to play for Egypt at the Olympics.
If Egypt get to the final it would mean Salah missing the opening day of the 2020-21 Premier League season as it kicks off on Aug. 8, the same day as the 2020 Olympic fan.
Liverpool’s star man has always gone above and beyond to play for his country and Salah hasn’t spoken publicly about the Olympics. He isn’t the only high profile player who could miss the start of the league season in 2020-21 for his club team but like Klopp said, the Olympics are the Olympics.