There is no escaping Liverpool’s failure to earn a spot in the Champions League the following year, and Mohamed Salah has not held back in calling this season “devastating.”
Although we anticipated it, we can now say with absolute certainty that 2023–2024 will feature Europa League football.
With their fifth-place finish now confirmed, Jurgen Klopp’s team has been dealt a rude awakening after six consecutive seasons in Europe’s top competition.
The door to the top four was firmly closed after Man United defeated Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday, despite the fact that hope had long held it open.
Salah is the first player to publicly criticize Liverpool this season, and he did so without holding back. Liverpool has not performed nearly enough to merit a spot in the Champions League.
The Egyptian expressed his feelings while apologizing to his supporters in a message posted on social media following a campaign to forget.
“I’m completely heartbroken.
There is simply no justification for this, ” the No.11 wrote.
“We had everything we needed to qualify for the Champions League next season, but we fell short. Being eligible for the competition is the absolute minimum for Liverpool.
“I’m sorry, but it’s too early for a motivational or upbeat post. Both you and we were let down.”
Few would disagree that the message is clear and leaves nothing to the imagination.
After an inconsistent start that left Liverpool trailing and on the back foot, a strong run-in following a system change offered hope.
With 30 goals and 15 assists, Salah has had a far from forgettable season when it comes to his goal-contributing performances.
Even so, it doesn’t really matter if the team’s goals aren’t met since there won’t be any awards (if you can even count the Community Shield) and they’ll likely finish outside the top four.
Salah has demonstrated in the past that he can use such setbacks as motivation; let’s hope the same will be true in 2023–24, when a new era at Anfield will begin.
