Sadio Mane and I weren't close friends - Mo Salah drop huge bombshell

Mohamed Salah has openly acknowledged the existence of "tension" in his relationship with former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane, addressing long-standing claims that the pair did not always see eye-to-eye.

During their prolific partnership at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp, Salah and Mane were instrumental in the Reds' trophy-laden era.

However, whispers of a strained relationship often circulated, highlighted by a notable on-field disagreement during a match against Burnley when Salah opted not to pass to an unmarked Mane.

In an interview with French publication L’Equipe, Salah addressed the speculation directly, admitting that while they weren't close friends off the pitch, their professional conduct ensured it never impacted the team's success.

"Yes, there was tension with Sadio," Salah confessed.

He continued, "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."

Salah also responded to past reports suggesting that Mane believed his former attacking partner was selfish on the field, stating that such opinions had no bearing on him.

"I don’t care. People can think what they want, it’s their right," he added defiantly.

He added, "But I invite everyone to note that the person who provided Mane 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."

The Egyptian winger continued, "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."

The duo ranks seventh in the all-time list of Liverpool goal combinations, having assisted each other a combined 30 times (Salah assisting Mane 17 times, and Mane assisting Salah 13 times).