SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - Tuesday, June 19, 2018: Egypt's Mohamed Salah during the pre-match warm-up before the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Group A match between Russia and Egypt at the Saint Petersburg Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Mo Salah expected to miss Egypt’s trip to South Korea – brings season to an end

Mohamed Salah missed Egypt’s defeat to Ethiopia on Thursday due to a “slight strain” and is now expected to be absent for their final game of the season in South Korea.

The Egyptian has had another relentless season for club and country, playing 66 games combined for an exhausting 5,455 minutes.

It’s a trend that continues to become all too normal within the footballing world and it’s going to come at a cost to a player’s career with injuries to continue taking their toll.

Salah had a groin injury at the end of Liverpool’s season but did return for the final two games, although injury struck again whilst with Egypt.

He played through it in their 1-0 win over Naby Keita‘s Guinea earlier this month having rejected the Reds’ request for a scan, only for further assessments with Egypt to show a “slight strain.”

The 29-year-old missed Egypt’s meeting with Ethiopia on Thursday as a result and has instead been continuing his work in the sunshine and with the sea as the backdrop.

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 16, 2022: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the FA Cup Semi-Final game between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. Liverpool won 3-2. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

And with a friendly scheduled for Tuesday in Seoul, there were question marks over if Salah was to be involved.

But South Korean news agency, Yonhap, has reported Liverpool’s No. 11 is not to take any part in proceedings.

They say the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on Saturday that Salah “will not travel” due to an “unspecified injury,” having had word from “its Egyptian counterpart.”

It’ll be received kindly by those of Liverpool persuasion with Salah hardly having had time to press pause this season after carrying the hopes of his country and playing a key role for the Reds.

With his season now expected to be over, he will join the likes of Alisson, Fabinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk in seeing their international exploits make way for a much-needed summer break.