Grozny: Mohamed Salah gave Egypt’s World Cup hopes a huge boost Wednesday when he joined a squad training session at their base here.
The Pharaohs’ superstar has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury in Liverpool’s Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, May 26.
However, a reporter from this agency saw the forward take part in his first training session since the injury, going through a range of warm-up exercises with his teammates.
Team director Ihab Lahita was however, cagey about Salah’s progress. He said there was no guarantee he would play in Egypt’s Group A opener Friday against Uruguay.
“There’s a good degree of progress but no definitive decision on whether he takes part, as we are following his case day by day,” he told reporters.
Salah arrived in Russia with serious doubts about his participation due to the shoulder injury. Earlier, May 30, Egypt officials said Salah would be out for ‘not more’ than three weeks, which would rule him out of the Uruguay match but put him in the frame for Russia (June 19) and Saudi Arabia (June 25).
The player sat out Egypt’s first training session after arriving in Russia but was optimistic about his prospects. “I’m excited. God willing I’m well-prepared and things are going well and my morale is high,” he had told this agency, Sunday.
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera has expressed hope that Salah will play against the South Americans. “I like the best players to play, I train with the best and I want the best players to play,” he said Wednesday.
Salah is regarded as a contender for the Ballon d’Or, alongside Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar of Brazil.
