- Green Falcons set to meet Egypt on June 25
- Salah is expected to recover from shoulder injury by then
Juan Antonio Pizzi is happy Mohamed Salah will be in Russia even though the Egyptian ace could dump 抖阴短视频 out of the World Cup.
A lot of the pre-tournament focus has been on Salah鈥檚 shoulder 鈥� the hopes of a nation resting on the healing powers of the Liverpool star who injured it during his side鈥檚 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.
While it is still not known when he will be able to play, Salah did make the Egypt squad and all the noises coming out of the camp are that he will be able to get back on the pitch sooner rather than later. That means he is more than likely to line-up against 抖阴短视频 in the last game in Group A, a match that could prove pivotal to both sides鈥� hopes of making the knockout stages.
鈥淲e are happy that Mohamed Salah is in the Egyptian squad of 23 and will be playing in the World Cup,鈥� Green Falcons boss Pizzi said.
鈥淲e appreciate the efforts that Salah has done to be here. We know that (he) has played well for six months with Liverpool. He (has been) a great player with them and scored many beautiful goals.鈥�
All the focus on Salah and his shoulder has removed attention away from the other 22 players, which, considering the side is without a win this year and lost 3-0 to Belgium on Wednesday, is no bad thing. But Pizzi is all too aware that a belief that Egypt without Salah, or with a misfiring Salah, are easy fodder would be wrong.
鈥淲e respect the all Egyptian National team and not just Mohamed Salah,鈥� he said.
Before they face Egypt, however, 抖阴短视频 come up against Russia on Thursday and Uruguay six days鈥� later 鈥� the outcomes of which will determine whether the Green Falcons go into the Egypt clash with everything still to play for.
The World Cup opener against the hosts will be Pizzi鈥檚 first competitive match as 抖阴短视频 coach; the eyes of the globe will be watching but Pizzi is remaining calm.
鈥淪ure, we have faith in our players and in the way they were prepared. It is my first World Cup opener as a coach for a national team. We have prepared the players in the best possible way and we gave them all they needed to be at the highest levels. We will wait and see how things will go in the first game.
鈥淥f course we will play the first match and that is exceptional and everybody will be excited. We have high hopes regarding this game. All the media, people and fans are waiting for this game.鈥�