Mohamed Salah has reignited controversy with the Egyptian national team’s coaching staff, led by Hossam Hassan, after joining Trabzonspor’s squad traveling to Finland to face KuPS—despite the match being played on an artificial turf pitch.
The Egyptian star was spotted among the Turkish side’s delegation traveling to Tampere, with his name officially included in the matchday squad for Thursday, October 15, at the Tammelan Stadion in the opening round of the UEFA Conference League league phase.
This comes less than three weeks after Salah missed Egypt’s match against South Sudan for the very same reason, when the Egyptian Football Association announced that the coaching staff had decided to rest him due to the artificial surface at Juba Stadium to ensure his safety.
Hossam Hassan later revealed that the absence came at Salah’s own request, explaining that he approved it after consulting with the player, before asserting that “the Egyptian national team does not rely on a single person” and that he works with players ready to commit and participate.
However, Salah’s travel to Finland does not necessarily guarantee his inclusion in the starting lineup against KuPS—a distinction that explains the difference between Trabzonspor’s stance and the Egyptian national team’s decision, as having the player in the squad offers the manager an option without guaranteeing he will take to the pitch.
Turkish newspaper Sabah reported that head coach Thomas Reis is considering starting Salah on the bench, while a report from Ajansspor noted that the manager might only introduce him if required during the game.
The decision hinges on the artificial pitch alongside the coaching staff’s desire to rest Salah ahead of their Turkish Süper Lig clash against Beşiktaş on October 19, amid plans for squad rotation to grant opportunities to players like Batista Mendy and Benjamin Bouchouari.
Salah has scored 7 of Trabzonspor’s 16 goals in their opening 7 league fixtures, making Reis reluctant to take unnecessary risks with his star man; nevertheless, his willingness to travel and sit on the bench demonstrates that artificial turf did not result in a total exclusion—and should he actually feature, his position against KuPS will stand in stark contrast to his absence from Egypt’s trip to Juba.
