Salah, Marmoush Doubtful as Injury Concerns Hit Egypt Ahead of Nigeria AFCON Warm‑Up
Doubts remain over the availability of Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah after both players missed Egypt’s final training session on Monday ahead of their warm‑up match against Nigeria.
Their absence has raised concerns within the Pharaohs’ camp, although the team insists the situation is being monitored closely.
Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan of Al Ahly and Al‑Jazira winger Ibrahim Adel have been ruled out of the friendly due to minor injuries. Both are expected to recover in time for Egypt’s opening AFCON 2025 group match against Zimbabwe.
Despite these setbacks, the rest of the squad is fully available. Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, Al‑Ain defender Rami Rabia, and the Pyramids FC quartet of Mostafa Fathi, Ahmed El‑Shennawy, Mohanad Lasheen and Mohamed Hamdi all joined the national team camp on Monday, boosting preparations for the high‑profile encounter.
Historically, Nigeria holds a narrow advantage in meetings between the two sides, with six wins from 18 matches. Egypt has claimed five victories, while seven games have ended in draws. Their most recent clash came in March 2019, when Nigeria edged a friendly 1–0 at the Stephen Keshi Stadium.
Once Tuesday’s match is concluded, the Pharaohs will depart for Morocco within hours as they begin their quest for an eighth AFCON title, and their first since 2010.
