Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool fallout gives Bafana Bafana AFCON hope

Bafana Bafana might be among the beneficiaries of the tensions between Liverpool and star forward Mohamed Salah.

Salah has made headlines since Saturday following his outburst over the manner in which he has been treated at Liverpool in recent weeks after he was benched for the club’s last three games.

The Egyptian forward claimed he has been “thrown under the bus” and that “someone does not want him” at the club while sensationally saying that he has no relationship with head coach Arne Slot.

That has received varied reactions with a number of ex-players slamming the forward while some observers have backed him.

Egyptian forward in sharp focus ahead of AFCON

Liverpool reacted by dropping Salah from the squad that travelled to Italy to face Inter Milan in the Champions League while Slot admitted he does not know if Salah has a future at Anfield.

With Salah throwing his future in doubt, he might have played his last game for Liverpool as he will likely miss Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Brighton with his next assignment being the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah is Egypt’s biggest star and main hope as he will be relied on as the record African champions search for an eighth title in Morocco during the December 21 to January 18 tournament.

However, he heads to AFCON with a cloud hanging over him and here is where Bafana Bafana could profit. This is because Egypt will be welcoming a player who joins camp unhappy by his club situation while focus will not be on the team but him.

How can Bafana benefit from Mo Salah’s woes?

Salah’s every move, word and performance will be scrutinised at AFCON and he will head into the tournament under massive pressure to prove to the world that indeed he deserves his place in the Liverpool team.

This could turn out to be counterproductive, especially if he is not able to lift the standards or sink under the pressure and weight of expectations, handing their group stage opponents a massive advantage.

Egypt are in Group B with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe and begin their campaign against the Warriors on December 22 before a clash with Bafana Bafana on Boxing Day.

South Africa could therefore take advantage of the fallout at Anfield by frustrating Salah further in the match, neutralising his power to secure a positive result against the group favourites.