Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, both of Liverpool, will face off in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday. Egypt, the 2018 runners-up, will face the 2019 runners-up. Senegal
Prior to Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final, Jurgen Klopp reminded Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane that they are on the cusp of achieving "something very great," but warned that one of them will face heartbreak at full-time.
Salah’s Egypt will take on Mane’s Senegal for the ultimate prize in African football, a tournament neither player has had the honour of winning so far in their illustrious careers.
Mane was defeated by Algeria and Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez in the last AFCON final, which was held in Egypt, two and a half years ago.
Salah has also lost in the final, with Cameroon defeating Egypt 2-1 in Gabon thanks to a late Vincent Aboubakar strike. It will be the fifth anniversary of the game on Saturday.
On Sunday, one of Liverpool's finalists will break their duck, and Klopp has cautioned them of the significance of the event.
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“Great achievement for both getting through to the final,” said the Liverpool manager ahead of his team’s FA Cup tie against Cardiff on Sunday afternoon.
“Naby [Keita of Guinea] played an exceptional tournament as well. So far, a really successful tournament for our boys and it will be exciting.
“It won’t be easy because one will be really happy afterwards and one less so. It’s a chance to achieve something really big.”
On whether the Salah and Mane will be available for Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Leicester on Thursday, Klopp added: “I think they will be available but we will see.
“Tuesday or Wednesday is the latest the winner will be back, the other slightly earlier. I have to talk to them. They have rhythm as they’ve played quite a few games!”
Both Salah and Mane have expressed their desire to win the AFCON on Sunday.
“Of course I want to win something with the national team,” said Salah last month. “It’s my country, what I love the most.
"This trophy would be absolutely different for me; it would be the most meaningful to me." We came close to winning the African Cup [in 2017], and we gave it our all, but we were not fortunate enough to win.
"But that's fine; we're in the new one now." We have to fight for it, we have to give it our all to win it, and I'm sure the players are feeling the same way."
"All the players know we are extremely close to it now," Mane continued. It doesn't matter if you're close to the trophy again.
"We still have to work hard to win because we were in the final a few years ago, and this time we have to do everything we can to avoid letting it slip away." We must triumph."
Mane was also quick to congratulate Senegal coach Aliou Cisse, who has been chastised multiple times during his seven-year tenure.
"I feel this man [Cisse] deserves everything because he is the most criticized coach I've ever seen, but he never gives up," the Liverpool midfielder added.
"He has faith in himself and in the group. Outside, he has critics, but he is doing his job here.
"Most importantly, we want to win it for him and our country because he deserves it after everything he's been through as a player and now as a coach for Senegal."
"It will be a fitting prize for what he has done for his country."
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