0 shot, 0 occasion created, 0 successful dribble (out of 4), 0 duel won (out of 9), 0 fault obtained, 0 successful center, 16 lost balloons (higher total of his team). Here are a few statistics how to summarize the performance of Mohamed Salah with Liverpool this Wednesday evening against PSG. The Egyptian star was eagerly awaited in this shock of the 8th finals of the Champions League. It must be said that since the start of the season, she has been walking on the water and has displayed peaky individual statistics. Author of 30 goals and 22 assists in 40 matches this season, he was logically the number one threat for Parisian training.
But the one who is often announced as a very serious candidate for the Ballon d'Or 2025 had a chaotic evening with Liverpool. Completely eaten by Nuno Mendes, the Egyptian was unable to make a single difference. Consistent with the race, technically clumsy, he was unrecognizable and spent the evening moving by Parisians who were much hungry than him. “He was awful, I have never seen that”even slipped an English journalist in the press area of the Parc des Princes. An opinion overall shared by the entire English press this Wednesday evening.
A disappointing performance
“He had to eat crumbs and saw few balloons in the first minutes” has generally analyzed the Daily Mail While the Liverpool Eveings was much more severe. “Nuno Mendes has too often dominated it physically. It has not been served much. He clearly dismissed quality and clarity in his second half positions. Rare evening without. Replaced. “ The performance of the 32 -year -old striker, who is often associated with PSG, is a delicate subject that Arne Slot quickly dismissed at a press conference. The Dutch coach wanted to defend his player recalling his status in the team. “Mo Salah is also important enough for everyone”he explained in particular.
Yet the facts are there. This season, Mohamed Salah has played 40 games and was only replaced 5 short times. The first time in such an important match. And his replacement, Harvey Eliott only needed 46 seconds to illustrate by offering the goal of victory to his team. A symbol when his teammate spent the whole evening, until his exit, in the pockets of Nuno Mendes without ever raising his head. Absent in the defensive withdrawal on his corridor, we felt it too little involved to reverse the trend. And for a player of this caliber, this performance is a sacred missed (noted 2.5 by the editorial staff). Fortunately without consequences. He will have the return match to catch up but Mohamed Salah quickly has an interest in shining, because a new underperformance on his part would target a very successful start to the season on his part.
