Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, explained why Mohamed Salah didn’t start in their Champions League game against Benfica.
Salah is having a sensational season for Liverpool so far, scoring 28 goals and providing 10 assists in 38 games across all competitions.
However, he has been in a poor form recently, having failed to score from open play since mid-February.
Klopp gave his explanation as to why his forward hasn’t been at his best level recently.
“The reason for Mo not starting is easy. It was about, yes he played City but after that we hopefully have 12 games. That’s why when we have an opportunity, we change, “Klopp said in a press conference.
“That’s all. Even if Mo had scored four goals in the last game, he wouldn’t have started yesterday. That’s how it is. Nothing to do with anything, there’s no story to make of it. It’s just a necessity.
“Mo played in January and February six times 120 minutes. Now we can just close our eyes and say, “Who cares?” Even he is just a human being. That’s why it’s clear there will be games he doesn’t start and games where we take him off. He hates that, that’s clear.
“People might think what I’m doing the whole day. I’m thinking about these kind of things when these things are really necessary to do. It was clearly the case and I think the game proved it 100%.
“We spoke afterwards about conceding the goals. Yes, it was in moments not good defending. But it’s nothing. A bit flat-footed and hoping for offside, that’s not how you should do it. The intensity of the game showed me it was 100% to change seven times.
“That’s why Mo didn’t start. I just hope the boys can play at their highest level as often as somehow possible. That’s what we try to do.
“Believe me, it’s a massive difference if you play three days after you played a game, again 90 minutes and you go again with all you have. Or you played a few minutes in this game and today a nice session, which is intense as well but not even close to the intensity of a game.
“The boys are high-trained athletes. They don’t need a lot of time for recovery. But no time for recovery? That doesn’t work. That’s why I made the decision. It’s just logical, it’s easy. If you sleep four nights in the week, only two hours, you think you’re fine until the fifth day when you get a knock. That’s how it is. That’s with footballers as well.
“They are completely in the tunnel. They want to play, play, play, play, play. They want to be successful and win everything. That’s why I don’t ask players, “Are you tired?” “No, no. Why? Do I look like it?” I have to make this decision without talking a lot,” he concluded.
