LIVERPOOL: Mohamed Salah is set to maintain his religious routine and fast on the day of the Champions League final, according to reports in his homeland.
Egyptian newspaper Al Masry al Youm claimed that the Liverpool marksman will continue to adhere to the Islamic holy month of Ramzan, and therefore abstain from any food or drink during daylight hours. It was added that Salah could be fasting for as many as 18 hours.
Ramzan started last week and is due to end on around Friday, June 15 (although this will depend on when the crescent of the new moon is sighted). We do know that Salah has been fasting during the holy month thus far, but the Egyptian paper confirms that he will continue to do so through the weekend.
https://t.co/PrEtXJbEXo confirms @MoSalah will fast more than 18 hours before facing Real Madrid in CL final next Saturday in Kiev as the match comes in Ramadan.#UCLfinal #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/QWZHzRlwUL
— El-Ahly.com (@ElAhlycom) May 20, 2018
This means that Liverpool’s leading goal scorer will open his fast on Saturday evening at around 8.53pm local time in Kyiv. But Liverpool fans needn’t worry about their Egyptian King starting the game with Real Madrid in a state of abstinence. Ukraine uses Eastern European Summer Time and is two hours ahead of GMT.
That means the game kicks off at 9:45 pm local time – just under an hour after Salah is permitted to eat and drink. Colleague and strike partner Sadio Mane is also a devout Muslim and is expected to join his teammate in observing the fast. The pair will be hoping for a date with destiny, and the reward of winners’ medals for their devotion come full time.
However, nutritionist Jesus Munoz refuted the claims made by the Liverpool Player of the Year.
“Even though they feel cleaner, they are less prepared for physical exercise,” he said, as quoted by Marca. “If he (Salah) perfectly fulfils Ramzan, his performance will be affected.”
LIVERPOOL FANS WORRIED:
For the Saturday’s Champions League final Salah won’t be able to eat from 5 am up until an hour before kickoff and that’s worrying some Liverpool fans. “What if Salah starts fasting during Ramzan tomorrow? What if he’s shit in the final because he can’t eat or drink,” said one Twitter user.
Another responded, “For those of you asking how #Ramzan may affect Salah & Mane for the CL final, the orthodox opinion is that Muslims are exempt from fasting if travelling (one of many exemptions) and these missed fasts can be made up at a later date so all systems go.”
