After Sergio Ramos ensured that Mohamed Salah would not be finishing the Champions League final, the pain on the striker’s face was as real as it was heartbreaking. He, and we, knew that not only was this the end of his Champions League hopes, but also potentially his World Cup ones.
Initial reports from the Egyptian medical team were full of bravado, even when it was far too early to tell the extent of the damage. However, according to Hector Cuper, the Egyptian national team manager, Salah should be fit and ready to start against Uruguay on June 15th.
“We are optimistic, and every medical report says he will make it,” Cuper said in an interview after Egypt’s friendly, a scoreless draw to Columbia. “But we still have to prepare for any situation that could happen before we start.
“Salah is not easy to replace, no doubt about that. He is a weapon for us, especially on counter-attack, making use of his speed and his quality.”
This is Egypt’s first World Cup since 1990, and perhaps Salah’s only chance to represent his country on the world’s biggest stage. So hopefully his recovery is going as well as Cuper indicates.
Initial draw against Uruguay aside, Egypt’s group is a fairly weak one, with hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia rounding out the rest of the group. There is also the potential for Mo and the Pharaohs to meet up with Spain and the shitstain Ramos in the Round of 16, should Egypt finish second and Spain top their group.