Salah and Mane Renew Rivalry as AFCON Final Spot Is at Stake

Three years after last sharing the same pitch, former Liverpool teammates Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah will face off on Wednesday as Senegal and Egypt battle for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The semi-final clash in Tangiers, Morocco, marks their first meeting since Liverpool’s defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in May 2022. Soon after that match, Mane left Anfield for Bayern Munich before later joining Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Salah has also been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, but for now remains at Liverpool despite falling out of favour with coach Arne Slot before the tournament.

The Egypt captain has been in inspired form in Morocco, scoring four goals in four matches as he targets a first AFCON title. With his 34th birthday approaching in June, Salah knows time is running out to secure a major international trophy, having twice endured final heartbreak.

He was part of the Egypt side beaten by Cameroon in the 2017 final in Gabon and then captained the Pharaohs in their penalty shoot-out defeat to Senegal in the 2022 final in Yaounde.

On that dramatic night, Mane had a penalty saved in normal time but later converted the decisive kick in the shoot-out, handing Senegal their first-ever AFCON crown. Salah was due to take Egypt’s next spot-kick but never got the chance and was left distraught as Mane sealed victory.

Less than two months later, the rivals met again in a decisive World Cup qualifying play-off, which again went to penalties. Salah missed, Mane scored, and Senegal prevailed, going on to reach the last 16 at the Qatar World Cup while Egypt failed to qualify.

Both players have now secured qualification for the upcoming World Cup in North America, potentially offering a final chance for the two veterans to shine on football’s biggest stage.

For now, continental glory is the focus. Senegal are aiming for a third AFCON final in four editions, while Egypt are chasing a record-extending eighth title.

Mane, who also turns 34 this year, feels less burdened by expectation after already lifting the trophy.

“Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me,” Salah said after Egypt’s quarter-final victory over Ivory Coast.
“I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for.”

The duo played together for five years under Jurgen Klopp after Salah joined from Roma in 2017, forming a lethal attack alongside Roberto Firmino. Together they won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, although they also suffered two Champions League final defeats to Real Madrid.

Mane has since acknowledged that their on-field relationship was not always smooth.

“I think Mo is first of all a very nice guy. I think though inside the pitch, sometimes he would pass to me and sometimes he wouldn’t,” Mane said on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.
“Only Bobby (Firmino) was there to share the balls. Sometimes it was like this,” he added with a laugh.
“I still remember one game when I was really, really angry because he doesn’t pass me the ball.”

Now firmly on opposite sides, the two former African Footballers of the Year are aiming to guide their nations to glory — for the second time in Mane’s case.

“The pressure for me is over. Before I won the African Cup, sometimes I played badly because of the pressure,” Mane admitted.
“All that on your shoulders is not easy,” he added — a feeling Salah knows all too well.

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