Liverpool winger says he was not close to Mane, but insists they were “both very professional”
Mohamed Salah has admitted that there was some tension between him and former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane during their time together at Anfield.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Salah admitted that while he and Mane weren’t particularly close off the pitch, their professional relationship remained strong and didn’t negatively impact the team.
“Yes, there was tension with Sadio,” said Salah. “But at the end of the day, we were both very professional. Everyone tried to do his job and help the team.
“I don’t think it affected the team. Off the pitch, we weren’t very close, but we always respected each other.”
The duo’s on-field chemistry was evident, scoring 296 goals between them and assisting each other 30 times, the seventh-most productive partnership in Liverpool’s history. It helped Jurgen Klopp’s side to a Premier League and a Champions League trophy.
However, their relationship came under scrutiny many times, with Salah often being accused of being selfish and not wanting to pass to Mane so the Senegal international does not outscore him.
But addressing those claims, Salah said: “I don’t care. People can think what they want, it’s their right.
“But if you go back to the numbers and check the person I gave the most assists in the club, it probably would be Sadio. But people obviously say those things because they want to get the headlines.”
