While most Uruguayans are doubtless hoping Mohamed Salah is not able to play in Egypt’s opening World Cup match and their side, Luis Suarez is not one of them.
The Egyptian ace faces a race against time to be fit for the tournament after he fell badly on his shoulder during Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.
If the injury is a bad as some fear then Salah’s absence would be a huge blow to the Pharaohs’ chances of making it out of Group A, where they face Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Suarez and Co. in their opening match on June 15.
But the Uruguay striker hopes Salah is well enough to play in the Yekaterinburg clash, and has wished Egypt’s star man well in his battle for fitness.
“When a colleague is injured and more in the type of match where he got injured, prior to his debut in a World Cup, it is difficult and complicated to be in the situation he now finds himself,” Suarez told a press conference.
“When I play, I want the best opponents in front of me to show that Uruguay are better, not for our rival to be better, but for Uruguay to win against the best.”
Four years ago the Barcelona striker himself faced a battle to be fit for the Brazil World Cup and said he did not want to see a fellow player miss out on playing on the biggest footballing stage of them all.
“He is in a situation that I went through four years ago, so I don’t wish it on anyone. That’s why I would like Salah to recover so that he can enjoy the World Cup which is going to be incredible," Suarez said.
Salah jetted out to Spain for treatment on Sunday with the Egyptian federation confirming the 25-year-old was in “high spirits” and “determined to return quickly to the ranks of the team.”
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Luis Suarez wants Mohamed Salah to be fit enough to face Uruguay in Egypt’s opening World Cup clash
Luis Suarez wants Mohamed Salah to be fit enough to face Uruguay in Egypt’s opening World Cup clash
- Suarez wants Uruguay to face teams at full strength in Russia.
- Barcelona striker faced similar fitness battle ahead of Brazil World Cup four years ago.
Sabalenka debuts engagement ring during Indian Wells win
- World number one sported the striking oval-cut diamond ring for the first time in competition after getting engaged to Georgios Frangulis late on Tuesday
INDIAN WELLS, California: Aryna Sabalenka’s performance in a 6-4 6-2 second-round win over Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume was not the only thing that dazzled at Indian Wells on Friday, with the world number one also showing off her shiny new engagement ring.
The 27-year-old sported the striking oval-cut diamond ring for the first time in competition after getting engaged to Georgios Frangulis late on Tuesday.
“It feels super comfortable and shiny,” she told reporters.
“We double-checked if there was a possibility to lose the diamond, and there was none. I was pretty confident wearing it, hoping it might even distract my opponent.”
Sabalenka, who has made the final of the WTA 1000 event twice in the last three years, said that while the proposal came as a complete surprise to her, the entire team was in on the engagement secret.
“I saw Georgios and I was crying half of the time, because I thought that I looked ugly, not prepared, and this is such a beautiful moment,” she said.
“I stopped everything, and I asked the videographer and the photographer to make sure that my face was not (in the pictures), just the ring, and side views and from the back, just so you guys wouldn’t be shocked by the way I looked.
“But it was a beautiful moment.”
Sabalenka was asked what she has learned about Frangulis, the CEO of global health-food brand OakBerry, and what he has learned about her since they began dating in 2024.
“What I have learned about him? He likes Oakberry a lot,” the four-times Grand Slam champion said. “What he has learned about me? That I’m crazy,” she added with a laugh.
The 27-year-old sported the striking oval-cut diamond ring for the first time in competition after getting engaged to Georgios Frangulis late on Tuesday.
“It feels super comfortable and shiny,” she told reporters.
“We double-checked if there was a possibility to lose the diamond, and there was none. I was pretty confident wearing it, hoping it might even distract my opponent.”
Sabalenka, who has made the final of the WTA 1000 event twice in the last three years, said that while the proposal came as a complete surprise to her, the entire team was in on the engagement secret.
“I saw Georgios and I was crying half of the time, because I thought that I looked ugly, not prepared, and this is such a beautiful moment,” she said.
“I stopped everything, and I asked the videographer and the photographer to make sure that my face was not (in the pictures), just the ring, and side views and from the back, just so you guys wouldn’t be shocked by the way I looked.
“But it was a beautiful moment.”
Sabalenka was asked what she has learned about Frangulis, the CEO of global health-food brand OakBerry, and what he has learned about her since they began dating in 2024.
“What I have learned about him? He likes Oakberry a lot,” the four-times Grand Slam champion said. “What he has learned about me? That I’m crazy,” she added with a laugh.
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