Salah’s absence is impactful, says Ateya ahead of DR Congo game

Egypt’s midfielder Marwan Ateya has reiterated the impact of Mohamed Salah’s absence against DR Congo and insisted the team is ready for the match.

Egypt are set to face DR Congo in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, with both teams reaching this stage with no wins in the group stages.

This will mark the 13th clash between both Egypt and DR Congo across all competitions, including friendlies, with the latest meeting coming back in the 2019 AFCON, when the Pharaohs emerged victorious 2-0, thanks to goals from Ahmed Elmohamady and Mohamed Salah.

This time, however, the Pharaohs will enter the game without several of their key players, with Mohamed Salah, Mohamed El-Shenawy, and Emam Ashour all ruled out of the tie with injuries.

Speaking ahead of the game, Marwan Ateya said: “We are well-prepared for the match, a big match, and there is no easy team in Africa.

“Africa has witnessed significant development in football, and we are fully prepared to win and qualify for the quarter-finals.

“We played good matches but faced bad luck, and this gives us a strong motivation to perform better. There are big teams that did not perform well and exited the tournament, confirming that it is not an easy matter.”

Regarding Salah’s absence from the national team, he said, “Salah is a great player and a very important personality, the captain of the national team, and of course, his absence is impactful.

“If Salah has the opportunity to recover faster, it is in the interest of the Egyptian national team before anything else, and we hope for his quick return.”

When asked whether the elimination of Tunisia and Algeria benefits Egypt before the match against the DR of Congo, he answered, “Certainly, the elimination of two major teams like them is surprising.

“This gives any team, not just Egypt, the need to focus more because, in the next stage, there is no second chance for compensation.”