Mohamed Salah left out of Liverpool squad for Inter Milan clash amid growing tension

Mohamed Salah will not travel with Liverpool to face Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, a decision the club insists is purely technical but one that comes in the immediate aftermath of the Egyptian star’s explosive comments about his role under Arne Slot.

Salah trained normally with the squad ahead of the match, which only intensified speculation around his absence. Inside Anfield, the official line points to a footballing decision taken jointly by the coaching staff and club hierarchy. Outside, the timing tells a more complicated story, one tied closely to authority, dressing-room control, and a season already sliding toward instability.

Liverpool, reigning European champions, arrive in Milan struggling for rhythm and results. They sit ninth in the Premier League and recently dropped points in a chaotic 3–3 draw away to Leeds. That match proved to be a breaking point for Salah, who was left on the bench and later voiced his frustration publicly, questioning how quickly his status within the team had changed.

“I’m not bigger than the club,” Salah said, “but I earned my place and felt pushed aside overnight.”

Those remarks forced a response. Head coach Arne Slot attempted to cool tensions in public, stressing that every player must accept decisions made for the good of the team. Within the squad, captain Virgil van Dijk delivered the clearest message yet: reputations do not guarantee minutes.

By leaving Salah out of the Champions League trip, Liverpool have effectively backed Slot’s authority at a critical moment. The club believes removing Salah briefly from the spotlight could ease pressure inside the locker room and protect group cohesion ahead of a demanding stretch of fixtures.

Still, the move has inevitably fueled transfer speculation. Clubs from the Saudi Pro League, most notably Al Hilal, have monitored Salah’s situation for months. In England, there is a growing sense that this episode may have accelerated a separation that once felt distant.

The calendar adds further weight. Salah is expected to join Egypt soon for the Africa Cup of Nations, and what was meant to be his final appearance at Anfield before international duty—against Brighton—now carries uncertainty. With his omission in Milan, there is genuine doubt over whether he will feature again for Liverpool at all.

Slot admitted surprise at how quickly the relationship narrative escalated. He confirmed that his only direct conversation with Salah after the interview was to inform him that he would not be part of the squad traveling to Italy. Asked if that meant Salah had already played his last game for the club, the Dutchman was candid.

“I don’t know,” Slot said. “I can’t answer that right now.”

For Liverpool, the trip to Inter Milan is about survival in Europe. For Mohamed Salah, it may mark the clearest signal yet that one of the most prolific chapters in Premier League history is approaching its end.