Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen has lamented ‘outstanding’ Mohamed Salah’s absence against Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Monday, as per the BBC, that the Egyptian international will be unavailable for the Champions League semi final second leg after suffering a concussion against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Owen is desperately disappointed: “I naturally hoped Mo Salah would be fit for the visit of Barcelona,” he wrote on the Bet Victor website. “The Egyptian has been outstanding in recent weeks and he gave Gerard Pique and co. a torrid time in the Nou Camp despite the Reds drawing a rare blank.
“Had Liverpool scored in Spain I would have been optimistic of the Reds turning the tie around. As it is I expect to see the Reds win at Anfield, but I fear a Barca goal will change the landscape of the tie and it is likely that the Reds will, at some stage, have to throw caution to the wind.”
OPINION
Yes, it’s a huge blow to Liverpool to not have Salah in the team on Tuesday night, everyone knows that. The former Roma man has been phenomenal yet again this season and he did play extremely well in the first leg. He wasn’t able to make the breakthrough at the Nou Camp – although he probably should have scored when he hit the post – but Owen’s right, he did still make life extremely difficult for the Barcelona backline. However, Klopp’s team will now have to do without both him and Roberto Firmino in a second leg where they’re hoping to overturn a first leg deficit. That’s a gargantuan task even with both Salah and Firmino available, so to try and reverse the tie without them is going to be extremely difficult. Owen is right, though, Liverpool will probably secure victory on Tuesday, but whether they can do so by enough and without conceding – with no Salah – remains to be seen.
