Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were at the centre of an AFCON clash after the Egypt star fouled his former Liverpool team-mate during the first half of their semi-final showdown
Image: (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe))
Former Liverpool team-mates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane sparked heated scenes on the touchline that led to a devastating suspension during their AFCON semi-final clash.
As the latter tried to escape challenges, he was brought down by Salah with the Reds winger fuming at the decision.
That reaction was also reflected on the benches as both Senegal and Egypt coach's were separated after some pushing and shoving.
In the chaos, Sunderland and Senegal's Habib Diarra was shown a yellow card and will now miss either the third-place play-off or final, depending on whether or not Senegal advance, through suspension.
Kalidou Koulibaly was facing a similar scenario after being booked, but the Senegal captain left the pitch moments after his booking because of an injury.
It was a tense first 45 minutes of the semi-final between Egypt and Senegal with Salah kept quiet, though Mane was certainly a threat.
The 33-year-old had 40 touches in the first half, created two chances and made three passes into the final third. Salah meanwhile, managed just 15 touches with his most notable moment being the foul on Mane.
Though they did not directly come to blows after that incident, there is certainly no love lost between the two Liverpool legends with it clear there was tension between the duo on the pitch.
Despite that, Salah and Mane were captured hugging and briefly exchanging words in the tunnel just moments before the clash between Egypt and Senegal.
Mane ultimately had the last laugh as his superb strike from distance in the final knockings dumped Egypt out of the tournament.
Roberto Firmino, who played in the middle of the two wingers for a number of years, recently opened up on their professional rivalry in his book ‘Si Senor: My Liverpool Years’.
He wrote: “I knew those guys very well, maybe better than anyone. It was me out there on the field, right in the middle of them. I saw first-hand the looks, the grimaces, the body language, the dissatisfaction when one was mad at the other.
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Liverpool Echo)"I could feel it. I was the link between them in our attacking play and the firefighter in those moments. For many, that disagreement [against Burnley] between Sadio and Mo was the first; for some, the first and last.
"But I knew it had been brewing since the previous season, 2018-19. My instinct and my duty was to defuse the situation between them. Pour water on the fire - never petrol.
“They were never best friends; each kept himself to himself. It was rare to see the two of them talking and I'm not sure if that had to do with the Egypt-Senegal rivalry in African competitions.
"I truly don't know. But they also never stopped talking, never severed ties. They always acted with the utmost professionalism. I never took sides. That's why they love me: I always passed the ball to both; my preference was for the team's victory."