Sadio Mane has called out the media for trying to stir up a rivalry between himself and Mohamed Salah, with the pair enjoying anything but during their time at Liverpool.
Mane and Salah spent five seasons together at Liverpool and shared the pitch a total of 223 times during a prolific and trophy-laden period as teammates.
As two members of the fearsome front three, they were key pillars in Jurgen Klopp‘s side but were continually hit with claims that they did not get along all that well.
As fierce competitors, of course, it was not all smiles and high-fives on the pitch and the reaction from Mane at Burnley in 2019 perhaps fuelled the murmurings of a rivalry.
But that was far from the truth and Mane has rubbished any notion of having anything other than “good relations” with Salah while at Liverpool and now with Bayern Munich.
“People sometimes say there’s a rivalry between me and [Salah], but you know I don’t see myself having a rivalry with any player to be honest,” Mane told Goal prior to being named African Men’s Player of the Year for 2022.
“We have good relations, we text each other. I think the media always try to [aggravate] things.
“You know I don’t just have [relationships] with one player, but with every player I’ve played with in the world. You can ask whoever you want in the club, or wherever I go.
“I have good relationships with all players.”
While their private messages remain just that, their interactions on social media in recent weeks speaks of their friendship as they each wished each other the best following Mane’s move to Germany.
The pot was continually stirred during their time together but it has always been abundantly clear to those of the Liverpool persuasion that their friendship is one full of mutual respect and admiration.
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