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Mohamed Salah has been the talk of the town since his explosive interview on Saturday, and it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.
However, Inter Milan's head coach, Cristian Chivu, has dismissed the idea that the forward's absence will give his team an upper hand against Liverpool. The Reds made the call to leave the Egyptian star behind for their Champions League face-off at San Siro.
This decision follows Salah's fiery remarks after Saturday's draw with Leeds, where he criticized Arne Slot and his treatment by the club, hinting that his future might be elsewhere. But when quizzed about the ongoing saga and whether Salah's absence would benefit his team, Chivu insisted that Liverpool's threat goes beyond just one player.
He stated: "Mo is important on a world-class level, but these are not problems that concern us. It’s not my concern.
"I know that they have players who can replace him, and that Liverpool will therefore maintain a high level as they always have done throughout their history. We’re talking about teams, not individuals.
"That is why we have to worry about what the group does, not about individuals. They have a lot of quality."
Liverpool heads to Milan with only two wins from the team's last 10 Premier League matches under its belt.
The Reds also suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in their previous Champions League outing.
While some in Italy believe this is an opportune moment for Inter to take on the Reds, Chivu cautioned: "Liverpool is one of the most successful teams. They just won the Premier League.
"They had a good start and then a decline, which is normal. They have players capable of understanding the moments and being ready for the games that matter, and tomorrow is one of those.
"I think they're a team that has made intensity their motto, part of their identity. (Jurgen) Klopp brought it, Slot is trying to maintain it, and he's succeeded.
"We want to do like them, but they were born that way... it leads to a certain approach to matches. Playing every three days is not easy... You have to understand the moments and not lose your balance.
"At times, you also need to rest. If you ask Marcus (Thuram), he'll tell you that it's not easy to press for 90 minutes straight. Inter have carried the Italian flag high around the world.
"You don't reach two Champions League finals and a Europa League final in five years so easily, and they deserve to be celebrated. An Italian team that plays like this deserves some praise, aside from the final result."
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