Liverpool boss Arne Slot does not believe Mohamed Salah has been distracted by his lack of a contract offer, after the Egyptian declared he was likely to leave the club.
After scoring twice to fire Liverpool to a 3-2 Premier League victory over Southampton on Sunday, Salah made headlines with comments about his future in the mixed zone.
Salah, who is out of contract at the end of the season, said he was "more out than in" due to Liverpool's failure to offer him new terms.
Salah's comments come at a key time for Liverpool, who face Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday before taking on Manchester City in the league on Sunday – a win in that latter match would take them 11 points clear of Pep Guardiola's stuttering champions.
Speaking at Tuesday's pre-match press conference, however, Slot insisted Salah maintains the same laser focus as always.
"The only thing I can say is, when I look at my lineups, Mo is more in than out. That quote I can give you," Slot said.
"He is not distracted at all. I haven't seen it after the Manchester United game when he made comments. I didn't see anything today, he is fully focused on the game tomorrow.
"If you had been at the training ground today, no one spoke about it at least when I was there. Players are also focused on the short term. That is Real Madrid and City.
"I don't think there is any distraction for him, the players and definitely not for me."
Salah has scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 18 games across all competitions this season. Both of those are team-high figures, while he also leads all his Liverpool team-mates for chances created (32), shots (55) and shots on target (32).
Former Reds defender Jamie Carragher responded to Salah's comments on his contract by describing the winger as "selfish" on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, but Slot preferred to focus on Salah's ability rather than be drawn into that debate.
"I focus a bit more on what else Jamie said," said Slot when asked about Carragher's comments.
"He said Mo is one of the five best players we ever had at this club. I agree with him. I don't think it distracts Mo. My main focus is the next game. We have another big game coming up after that.
"I talked to Mo about what I expect from him, like I do with all the other players. I am not distracted at all by his comments and I do not feel his team-mates are as well."
'I'm still an Evertonian' – Madrid's Ancelotti out to upset Liverpool
Carlo Ancelotti declared he is "still an Evertonian" as the Real Madrid coach attempts to halt Liverpool's perfect Champions League start on his return to Merseyside.
Ancelotti managed Everton between 2019 and 2021 before returning for a second spell with Los Blancos, who he has since led to their 14th and 15th European crowns.
On Wednesday, he returns to Merseyside with Madrid needing a result after losing two of their first four matches in the Champions League's new 36-team group phase.
They are coming up against a Liverpool team with four wins in as many Champions League games under Arne Slot, with the Reds aiming to win five straight matches from the start of a European campaign for the first time since 2021-22 (first seven).
On that occasion, Liverpool finished as Champions League runners-up to Ancelotti's Real Madrid, and the Italian is out to cause the Reds more heartache on Wednesday.
"I consider, as usual, Liverpool with a lot of respect – they're a fantastic club, fantastic supporters – but I'm still an Evertonian," Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference.
"It will be a very entertaining match, as always. Two historic clubs in this competition, each with its own characteristics. We'll have to see who has the character and personality to show it on the pitch.
"Liverpool have always been very competitive and very dangerous. They were under [Jurgen] Klopp, and it is with the new coach."
Real Madrid will be without star winger Vinicius Junior on Wednesday after he suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's 3-0 league win over Leganes, while Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba are also out.
"We have also had seven anterior cruciate ligament (injuries)," Ancelotti added. "Avoiding them is difficult, because it's not only Madrid's problem, but also that of other teams.
"Each team handles these things in their own way, but what does not change are the injuries. We have to put up with this.
"We have to try to think like we did last year, that injuries have been a great opportunity for us to become better. It's no coincidence that the injuries of Militao, Lucas and Rodrygo against Osasuna have changed the dynamic of the team."
Despite the injuries, the Italian coach said his team's spirits were high after back-to-back wins, those results steadying things after a 3-1 home defeat to Milan.
"I'm fine, and the team is doing well too. Our last two games have gone very well," Ancelotti said.
"We are more solid, we have a good feeling and the same confidence as always, also for this game against very demanding opponents who are playing very well.
"However, I consider it a great opportunity for us to get back to our best level. I am totally confident that it will be a great game. After that, whatever happens, happens. But the team will be competitive tomorrow for sure."
Bellingham 'felt like a scapegoat' for England at Euro 2024
Jude Bellingham feels as though he was made a scapegoat after England lost the final of Euro 2024 to Spain.
The 21-year-old played in every round during the tournament, following a season in which he made 47 appearances for club and country.
Having spearheaded Real Madrid's charge to a LaLiga-Champions League double, Bellingham failed to match those same heights for England in Germany.
Though he feels he came in for extra scrutiny.
"I lost my smile a lot playing for England after the Euros as I felt I was a little mistreated compared to what I contributed," Bellingham told reporters ahead of Real Madrid's game away to Liverpool in the Champions League.
"[The] smile is back [now].
"I think it was a bit harsh on me. I felt a bit like the scapegoat. Maybe I felt a bit sorry for myself.
"I felt I contributed some pretty big moments, but it felt like the whole world was crumbling down on me, especially in the three days after the final. It wasn't a nice feeling."
Bellingham scored two goals during the tournament, the first a winner against Serbia in the group stage and the second a last-minute bicycle kick in the round of 16 to force extra time against Slovakia.
He came in for criticism at Euro 2024 for his apparent refusal to speak to the media, but explained that there were complex reasons for his stance.
"That was reported in a way that made it sound like I think I'm above it, but it's not that at all," he said.
"I had some personal things going on where journalists had gone to see members of my family while I was at the tournament, my grandparents.
"I don't think that's fair, it crosses the line of respect. That's where I took it a little bit personally and decided I would just focus on the football and let that do the talking, instead of talking in the press to people that seemingly don't respect me.
"My family comes first, my nan didn't want to leave her house for the whole summer.
"Maybe I should have communicated that, so people understood my situation. But that was a little bit more personal to me, so that's why I decided to keep my mouth shut."
Slovan Bratislava 2-3 Milan: Rossoneri earn third straight Champions League win
AC Milan earned their third successive Champions League win with a 3-2 victory at Slovan Bratislava on Tuesday, hanging on despite coming under fierce pressure late on.
The first half ended level with Milan's Christian Pulisic opening the scoring in the 21st minute before a quick counterattack led to Slovan's Tigran Barseghyan equalising three minutes later.
Milan struggled to put Slovan away before substitute Rafael Leao put them back in front in the 68th minute, staying onside from Youssouf Fofana's pass to tuck home.
Tammy Abraham then extended their lead by capitalising on a horror back-pass from David Strelec just three minutes later.
Slovan pulled a goal back through Nino Marcelli in the 88th minute and also had Marko Tolic sent off late on, as he picked up two yellow cards for dissent in a matter of moments.
However, Milan came through the late drama to move onto nine points while Slovan, with no points, remain rooted at the bottom of the standings.
Data Debrief: Pulisic flying the flag
Pulisic's opener made him just the second American player to score three goals in a single Champions League campaign, after DeMarcus Beasley for PSV in 2004-05.
Milan, meanwhile, have won three straight group-stage matches in the Champions League for the first time since 2004-05 under Carlo Ancelotti, when they reached the final but were memorably beaten by Liverpool after surrendering a 3-0 lead.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
