Salah slams fan ‘disrespect’ to ex-Liverpool forward Nunez and Diaz

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah called out a popular fan account on Wednesday for “disrespecting” former teammates Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez after a social media post mocked their close-season departures. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 03 September 2025
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Salah slams fan ‘disrespect’ to ex-Liverpool forward Nunez and Diaz

  • “How about we celebrate the great signings without disrespecting the PL (Premier League) champions?” Salah fired back on X
  • The Anfield Edition site, which has more than half a million followers, quickly apologized

LONDON: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah called out a popular fan account on Wednesday for “disrespecting” former teammates Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez after a social media post mocked their close-season departures.
Salah took exception to a post on X featuring images of the departed duo in black-and-white over new signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak with the caption: “Name a bigger upgrade in footballing history.”

“How about we celebrate the great signings without disrespecting the PL (Premier League) champions?” Salah fired back on X, defending his fellow strikers who helped Liverpool claim their 20th league title.
The Anfield Edition site, which has more than half a million followers, quickly apologized.
“It wasn’t the intention to disrespect, more to highlight the incredible transfers this summer. But we’re sorry,” it posted with a picture of Salah on a throne.

The social media spat came after a summer of big-money moves that saw Colombian winger Diaz head to Bayern Munich for 75 million euros ($87.80 million), while Nunez joined Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal for a reported 53 million euros.
Liverpool then splashed the cash on replacements, signing Wirtz for 116 million pounds ($156.70 million) with add-ons before smashing the British transfer record to bring in Isak for 125 million pounds.
While Diaz made a significant contribution to Liverpool’s title triumph with 13 goals and seven assists from 36 games, Nunez struggled to make his mark, netting only five times in 30 games.
Though he remained popular at Anfield for his work rate, Nunez faced harsh mockery on social media for missed chances.
Last month, Salah also took to social media to criticize UEFA’s tribute to the late Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the “Palestinian Pele,” after European soccer’s governing body failed to reference the circumstances surrounding his death.
“Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?” Salah wrote.
According to Obeid’s family, he was killed by an Israeli tank shell while queuing to collect food in Gaza.


Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation

Updated 11 December 2025
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Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation

  • Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28
  • “I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC

LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.
“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.
“It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”
Some have criticized the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.
King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.
Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
Kyrgios, the former world number 13, said in September that women can’t return men’s serves and that he would beat Sabalenka without having to try 100 percent.
However, he said the match would increase respect between the men’s and women’s Tours.
“So I can’t do anything other than hope me and Aryna play our best tennis and, at the end of the day, whoever wins, that our handshake afterwards solidifies the union between males and females in the tennis world,” he said.