Msakni for Tunisia is like Salah for Egypt: Maaloul

CAIRO – 4 May 2018: Nabil Maaloul, coach of Tunisia’s national team, believes that midfielder Youssef Msakni’s importance to Tunisia is the same as Mohamed Salah’s importance to Egypt.

“Youssef Msakni is a very important player for me; the same as Salah to Egypt,” Maaloul said on the Masaa` Al-Anwar TV program.

“We will be affected a lot by Msakni’s absence in the next World Cup,” Maaloul added.

Maaloul announced last April that Msakni will not participate in the 2018 World Cup.

Qatari club Al-Duhail confirmed that Msakni suffered a cruciate ligament injury during the team’s 5-2 win over Al Sailiya, and the 27-year-old initially believed his World Cup chances were over.

Tunisia is placed in the seventh group of the World Cup, alongside England, Belgium and Panama.

“The Al-Ahly vs. Espérance Sportive game is a very big game between giant clubs; its events cannot be predicted, but it is not of great importance for the teams and will not decide anything,” Maaloul said.

Al-Ahly faces the Tunisian club Espérance Sportive in the first round of CAF Champions League’s group stage at Borg El-Arab Stadium Friday at 9 p.m. (CLT), beginning their journey towards their ninth African title.