Salah ´still has the final on his mind´ but can use AFCON heartbreak – Klopp

Jurgen Klopp detailed Mohamed Salah’s huge disappointment after returning to Liverpool following Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations final defeat, although the Reds manager hopes he and the team can “benefit” from that pain.

Salah and Egypt were beaten on penalties by Senegal in Sunday’s AFCON decider, with Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane scoring the winning spot-kick.

While Mane is yet to return amid Senegal’s celebrations – granted additional time to “just enjoy it, enjoy themselves” and then “come back as early as possible”, likely late on Wednesday – Salah has already rejoined Liverpool.

The superstar winger should be in line to face Leicester City in the Premier League on Thursday, although he is visibly hurting from his international heartbreak.

“He’s very disappointed, obviously,” boss Klopp said on Wednesday. “It was a massive thing.

“Losing a final is always really, really hard – we can sing that song – but losing the way they lost it is especially hard. That’s what he felt, as well.

“He’s happy to be back, but he’s disappointed as well – massively so. We spoke obviously, about the tournament, everything, and he will deal with that of course.

“I hope today will be already better, but yesterday everybody could see he still has the final on his mind.”

“He’s back!”

Welcome back, @MoSalah pic.twitter.com/xMyh4SNtKi

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 8, 2022

Asked how Salah might respond to the setback as Liverpool still pursue four titles, Klopp replied: “Greater determination than Mo already had? I’m not sure that’s human.

“Playing a tournament, not knowing where you’ll go to, then qualifying in the hardest possible manner for the final, then against the tournament favourites playing a game like Egypt played, an absolutely great final, if you think about what they all invested already before – both teams – and how hard they fought – especially Egypt, how hard they fought to keep a team like Senegal quiet – yes, that all helps in the long term.

“But I don’t think there’s a lot of space for more determination in Mo’s mind. He is very determined.

“Using these kinds of things is the job for all of us when you lose a final – we are obviously the best example for that.

“When you lose a final, it’s really hard, really, really hard. But when you use it for the next big game or next big tournament, then it can be at least helpful when it was still hard.

“He will benefit from it, we will benefit from it, but in which [way] exactly, we do not know.”

With Salah in the squad and Mane soon to join him, Klopp is close to having a full complement of players to choose from – although he did add captain Jordan Henderson has a back problem.

Liverpool will be aiming to end a run of two straight league defeats to Leicester, last losing three in a row in this fixture in 1963. No team have beaten Klopp’s Reds more often in the top flight during his tenure (four – tied with Manchester City).