Liverpool will NOT allow Mohamed Salah to play for Egypt in a World Cup qualifier against Angola, reports Sky Sports.
Salah, one of the best players in the Premier League, is an icon in his home country of Egypt, as well as the star performer for the national team.
Unfortunately for Salah and Egyptian football fans, playing international fixtures in the midst of a global pandemic has proven complicated.
Egypt’s position on the UK’s red travel list is set to further complicate matters for Salah, or so reports Sky Sports.
As the report notes, Egypt are set to play a home World Cup qualifier against Angola, but Liverpool have informed the FA that Salah will play no part in it.
Salah would have no choice but to self-isolate for 10 days upon his return from the game, which just isn’t plausible in the middle of the season.
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BenchWarmers’ view
In reality, friendly matches are utterly pointless and pose an unnecessary risk to the players involved, but World Cup qualifiers do have to be played.
As much of an annoyance it will be for the Egyptian FA to have to play without Salah, they will surely understand that his involvement is just not practical.
We all want the World Cup in Qatar to go ahead as planned, thus we have little choice but to accept that these fixtures will be played and disruption will be caused.
Players and clubs are right to avoid it wherever possible, though, as Salah and Liverpool have done by avoiding 10 days of quarantine upon his return.