Mohamed Salah Details Tense Rivalry with Liverpool Legend Sadio Mane

Liverpool became a force in Europe with Jurgen Klopp, and it all started when he arrived at the club in October 2015. From his appointment, he led the team to great heights, but he couldn't do it without some key players who later became club legends.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are seen as Liverpool legends, and rightfully so. They played a huge part in giving Liverpool its first league title in 30 years. The trio of Salah, Mane, and Roberto Firmino was among the best in the world, but there was a sense of tension between the two of them.

Salah spoke with France Football about his time with Mane at Liverpool, who together formed a dangerous attack in the Premier League and the Champions League. He spoke about not being as close to Mane as other teammates and admitted a rivalry between the two. 

Mohamed Salah: "Yes, there was tension with Sadio [Mane]. Mind you, we were professional until the end; I don’t think it affected the team. It’s human to want more, I understand that; he’s a competitor. Off the pitch, we weren’t very close, but we always respected each other.”

The Salah and Mane partnership at Liverpool

The first to arrive at the club was Mane, who joined in the summer of 2016 from Southampton. He was one of Klopp's first major signings, and in his first season for Liverpool, he scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 27 games played in the Premier League. 

Salah joined Liverpool the following season, scoring 32 goals and providing 11 assists in 36 Premier League games. The two were amazing for Liverpool and together played a total of 223 games for the Reds across all competitions. 

Salah and Mane's joint goal contributions totaled 35 throughout their time at Liverpool. They even shared the Golden Boot in the 2018–19 Premier League season, where they both scored 22 goals.