Topics: Liverpool, Mohamed Salah, Football
Egypt's national team doctor Mohamed Abu El-Ela has given his side of the story regarding the injury to Mohamed Salah.
Salah was injured in Egypt's 2-2 draw with Ghana last Thursday.
Without their talisman, however, Egypt reached the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations following their 2-2 draw with Cape Verde.
The Liverpool superstar watched from the stands and celebrated his national team's passage to the knockout stage.
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He's expected to return to his club for an 'intensive rehabilitation programme' ahead of potentially returning to Ivory Coast if Egypt reach the latter stages.
His agent took to social media to announce that the player's injury is 'more serious than first thought'.
Ramy Abbas Issa tweeted: "Mohammed's injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not two games.
"His best chance at participating in the current Afcon is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the UK and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit."
Egypt's national team doctor Abu El-Ela has now suggested that Liverpool forced Salah to return to England following his injury.
He claims the 31-year-old 'didn't want to travel and leave the team' as Egypt look to win AFCON.
Abu El-Ela is quoted as saying: "Salah didn’t want to travel and leave the team, Salah suffers from stress in the second phase. I will not wait for someone to tell me how to do my job.
"We discussed this with Liverpool and we agreed that we will share it with fans after the game, but Jurgen said it himself. Salah did not want to leave."
The Pharaohs resume their AFCON campaign on Sunday against an opponent still to be determined as they look to book their spot in the quarter-finals.
As for Liverpool, they beat Bournemouth on Sunday without Salah as the Reds return to action on Wednesday in a Carabao Cup clash against Fulham.
Jurgen Klopp's team face Chelsea and Arsenal in big Premier League fixtures at the end of the month/at the start of next month.
