Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Roberto Firmino will be remembered as a remarkable attacking trio for Liverpool.
Collectively, this threesome triumphed in England, across Europe, and globally, contingent on one’s perspective of the Club World Cup’s structure at that time.
Sadio Mane reveals details of Burnley disagreement involving Mohamed Salah
Notably, given their roles as scoring wingers, fans and commentators frequently compared Salah and Mane, fostering a competition that Mane views as beneficial, although still a rivalry.
In 2019, during a 3-0 triumph against Burnley, Salah appeared reluctant to pass to Mane, implying that the competition between them influenced his decisions, which triggered an angry response from Mane at that moment.
“He’s [Salah] a wonderful individual,” Mane expressed during an appearance on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“However, I believe that on the field, one can observe – sometimes he passes to me, other times he doesn’t; sometimes he gives me the ball, sometimes he withholds it. Yet, remember, Bobby was always present to distribute the ball effectively.
Ferdinand instantly recognised the game Mane was alluding to as the encounter with the Clarets in 2019, and the winger elaborated on his sentiments.
“I was incredibly upset after the game,” the 33-year-old, currently with Al-Nassr, confessed. “The following day, he approached me.
“He [Salah] stated, ‘Do you believe I intentionally avoided passing to you? I didn’t manage to score, but Bobby did. However, even when I had possession, I wasn’t thinking about or even noticing you for a pass. I simply had the ball and intended to shoot. I have no personal animosity towards you.’
This explanation proved satisfactory for Mane, who believes the incident actually fortified their bond.
“I believe that since that day, we’ve grown even closer,” the Senegal international revealed. “In my view, he wasn’t acting personally. He simply has a strong desire to score repeatedly.
“And then, I was communicating, suggesting, ‘Mo, I can observe your heightened ambition. I can assist you significantly because I’m aware of your desire to be the leading scorer.’”
Mane concluded his Liverpool career with 120 goals and 46 assists across 269 appearances. While there might have been occasional tensions in such a potent winger partnership like Mane and Salah, it undeniably didn’t impede their performance.
Access the comprehensive Rio Meets Sadio Mané interview via Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
