Confirming the news, the Egyptian FA revealed that Salah sustained a hamstring strain in a match against Ghana last week, ruling him out of the Pharaohs' next two games.

"I feel sorry for Mo Salah because injuries are an unfortunate part of football, and he certainly had the intention to assist his teammates. Unfortunately, this injury is beyond his control," Mane stated in an interview with BeIn Sport, which quickly went viral.

"He has to cope with the situation, and I understand his frustration. I, too, experienced the same injury prior to the 2022 FIFA World Cup," added Mane, empathizing with Salah.

Despite drawing their first two matches, Egypt currently holds the second position in Group B.

Their progression to the next stage hinges on securing a victory in their final fixture.

However, this task will be all the more challenging in the absence of their star player as they will face the top-ranked team in their group.

The Pharaohs will square off against Cape Verde, who have already qualified for the round of 16 in AFCON 2023, on Monday.

This match will determine Egypt's fate in the continental tournament.

Mane and Salah were teammates at Liverpool last season before Mane's move to the Saudi League, bidding farewell to the English Premier League team.

Check the AFCON matches and standings

Check the AFCON stats

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