Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is confident there'll be no negative fallout from tonight's Africa Cup of Nations final.
Liverpool forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have starred for Egypt and Senegal respectively to help lead their nations to the continental showpiece, and will lock horns on Sunday as they both look to be crowned African champions.
The duo have had a couple of on-field spats during their time at Anfield, most notably against Burnley in September 2019, with Mane raging as he was substituted moments after Salah had wasted a shot rather than pass him the ball.
“Two or three years ago they were together and got the Golden Boot of the league," he recalled. “That was a really nice moment. Apart from that, do they have a competition?
“I know that Robbo and Trent, they have a competition for assists because if it would be for goals, Robbo would probably lose before the season starts. That's a completely normal and natural thing.
“Diogo probably wants to score goals and, if possible, more than others. Bobby as well and people don't think that about him.
“There's no real competition but a little bit of competition is there for sure."
Despite the friendly relationship between Salah and Mane, Klopp is aware that the two will be feeling rather contrasting emotions upon their return to the AXA Training Centre after the Africa Cup of Nations final.
And with such a scenario being a new one to the German, he admits it will be a new test for his man-management skills as Liverpool celebrate the success of one of the duo and commiserate with the other.
“I'm not the type of guy who thinks everything will be a problem," he pondered. “Both players had a successful tournament and we will see the same situation next year, in late-November and early-December, exactly the same when everybody is coming back from the World Cup.
“There is one winner, maybe two or three winners and all the rest lost. That is the world we created for these boys.
“Thank you for asking, usually no-one asks about how they will deal with it. I can deal with it, that's no problem. I will help them with all I have.
“When they come back we have to talk and we will see if they need anything. If they need a day off or two days off, whatever these kind of things. They are our boys and we will do everything to help them through all the different situations. That's how it always was."
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