Mohamed Salah has revealed that tension existed between himself and Sadio Mane during their time together at Liverpool.
Despite collecting a slew of honours together, reports have consistently suggested that Salah and Mane endured a decidedly frosty relationship.
In a recent interview Salah addressed the speculation for the first time, admitting that for all their chemistry on the pitch, their relationship remained strictly professional in the five years they were team-mates.
‘Yes, there was tension with Sadio,’ the Liverpool talisman told L’Equipe.
‘Mind you, we were professional until the end, I don’t think it affected the team. It’s human to want more, I understand that, he’s a competitor.
‘Off the pitch, we weren’t very close, but we always respected each other.’
A book published last year claimed that the relationship between the two continually deteriorated during their time playing together, with an apparent feeling from Mane that his team-mate was ‘selfish’.
Speaking on the accusation, Salah insisted that he is not interested in speculation but did point out that he had consistently served as a provider during his time playing with Mane.
‘I don’t care. People can think what they want, it’s their right,’ he continued.
‘But I invite everyone to note that the person who provided Mané with the most assists is me.
‘We can look at the facts, but it’s obviously easier to throw out phrases like that; it makes the headlines, I know how it works.
‘As long as it remains within the limits of respect, that’s fine with me. But that doesn’t mean that this opinion is true. At the end of the day, I know what I did, and my conscience is clear.’
